Palace de Versailles, Paris
Palace de Versailles, Paris

The Chateau de Versailles is defined by its overwhelming opulence and baroque beauty, its carefully manicured gardens and ultimately a surreal excessiveness that played a prominent role in French history.

Visitors coming to Paris and Versailles will undoubtedly still encounter the French monarchy’s brash brilliance for architecture but will also be met with an artistic juxtaposition that hasn’t been seen here before. On the heels of the success of a Jeff Koons exhibit at the castle, the curators of the chateau are now showing the ultra-modern works of the Japanese artists Takashi Murakami, the likes of which Louis XVI could never have dreamed of seeing in his home. Then again, he probably didn’t expect to have his head chopped off either.

The Murakami exhibit boldly splashes the colors and kitsch of modern Japanese art into the artistically static halls of Versailles. The contrast between new and old, classic and kooky, and West and East is truly stunning. Murakami’s oeuvre is inspired by Japanese Magma and could be defined as  a cartoonish abstraction in its shapes and colors, which is a stark contrast to the realist paintings gracing the walls of the chateau Versailles. One of Japan’s great contemporary artists, Murakami’s style mixes fantastic images of today with ancient Japanese techniques. His artwork has already been featured many times in the West, most notably in New York’s Grand Central Station and Rockefeller Center.

The massive sculptures and paintings on display at Versailles are sure to turn heads and stretch minds until the end of the exhibition in late January. Luckily, curious visitors still have time to book a New York Habitat apartment rental in Paris before the exhibit comes to a close. Below are a few choice apartments available to help get your search started:

– This modern and practical Studio in Montmartre-Sacre Coeur (PA-3938) is the ideal choice for couple of solo traveler.

– This 2-bedroom rental apartment in Place de Wagram, Ternes (PA-2623) features ample space for a family, large French windows facing east and West, and charming touches such as hardwood floors.

If you make it to the Murakami exhibit at Versailles let us know what you thought in the comments below.