Enigmatic Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali

May I ask you a few questions? Yes, but don’t try and uncover my secret.   S.D.

Wandering around Montmarte, especially the higher elevations at Sacre Coeure, it is hard to believe that artists and even whole movements of art were born here. Sure the steep, winding streets still carry mystery and charm, the view from the top as the sun finally came through the clouds and the historic churches, cafes and parks are still around. Now the hotels and cafes are very expensive. I doubt whether most artists could afford to live here today.

There is a lack of intimacy as hundreds, perhaps thousands of tourists swarm the area. And what could be artists at work are a few easels with very expensive mass produced typical Paris motifs surrounded by tourist souvenir shops full of clever chef hats, Eiffel Tower key chains and thousands of must have Paris identity kitsch items.

The Espace Dali, a remarkable exhibit of sculpture, paintings and even some furniture is worth a visit. It does have an intimate feel and you do get a sense of the scope of his work as well as how he rallied the neighborhood in public – performance art such as a movie of his Don Quixote phase.

I still find him fascinating. If I could only remove the hoards of people, I might catch a voyeuristic glimpse of the remarkable artists who haunted this place, gathered and exchanged ideas and found some kind of intimacy that supported eccentricity and freedom to push boundaries in art. But is is just so busy.

The secret to uncover, hmm.