Hervé Di Rosa's 17th 'Autour du monde' Stage Focuses on Northern Paris

Hervé Di Rosa's ongoing project 'Autour du monde' reaches its 17th stage, this time focusing on the northern districts of Paris (18th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements). Unlike previous stages that involved collaborations with local artisans worldwide, this stage sees Di Rosa acting as the 'local artisan' himself, having recently settled in the area. The exhibition at Galerie Louis Carré from November 20 to December 19, 2009, presents paintings that depict a gritty, non-touristic Paris—tower blocks, sports fields, and construction sites—rendered in a modernist grid of verticals and horizontals that evoke a claustrophobic, prison-like atmosphere. The works contrast starkly with the artist's typically vibrant palette, emphasizing a sense of hopelessness. The series includes motifs such as the Place des Fêtes carousel and the Rue des Panoyaux gymnasium, where even sports facilities feel oppressive. Richard Leydier reviews the exhibition, noting the influence of Mondrian over Caillebotte in the orthogonal compositions.