Centre Pompidou 40th Anniversary Interview Collection

To mark its 40th anniversary in 2017, the Centre Pompidou has published a volume collecting all interviews conducted by artpress with its presidents and directors of the Musée National d'Art Moderne, from Pontus Hultén (interviewed while the centre was still under construction) to Bernard Blistène (appointed in 2015). The book includes conversations with Jean-Jacques Aillagon, Dominique Bozo, Jean Maheu, Alfred Pacquement, Bruno Racine, and Alain Seban, conducted by critics Paul Ardenne, Otto Hahn, Richard Leydier, Catherine Millet, and Margit Rowell, with a preface by Millet. The collection traces the evolution of Georges Pompidou's utopian vision and its realization, covering both successful projects and those repeatedly reworked. It serves as a barometer of contemporary art's place in society. A notable quote from Hultén: "People must get used to coming to Beaubourg without quite knowing what awaits them."