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Liudmila Kondakova - Le Paris
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"Paris is the city where reality and fiction have always met as if in the suspended universe of fantasy." - Liudmila Kondakova
The streets and scenes of Paris are never so lovingly portrayed as by Liudmila Kondakova. She shifts her focus and her gaze on parts of the city both famous and not-so-well-known, from citywide vistas that capture the skyline, to small glimpses of everyday Parisian life. In "Le Paris," we see a close up of one of the most beloved icons of Paris, the sidewalk cafe.
The French cafe is more than just a place to get a drink or a meal, It is a restaurant, yes, but also a community meeting place and a cultural tradition rolled into one. In small villages, it is the place to have a coffee and hear all the latest news in larger cities, the cafe is a tourist attraction unto itself (in peak season in Paris you will wait longer for an outdoor table at a cafe on the Champs-Elysees than you will to get into the Louvre). There are many who consider their local cafe as an extension of their living room, occupying the same table for the same breakfast or after-work aperitif every day of the year. They are usually prime people-watching locations, with their sidewalk or outdoor seating, and are often open for business from the first cafe au lait early in the morning, to the last cognac in the wee hour.
With her caracteristic attention to detail and a smooth color palette, Liudmila Kondakova shows a favorite cafe in "Le Paris." As is often the case, the cafe is on the street level of a residential dwelling, and the artist has incorporated some characteristic imagery of her paintings; the intricately scrolled ironwork, window boxes bursting with flowers, and the beautiful architectural details of the building. The fluttering colored banners draped around the brightly lit sign give the cafe a party atmosphere, along with the predominat colors of red, pink, and rose. Although there is hardly a soul in sight, the whole effect is that of a party just waiting to happen. You can imagine that any minute now, the theater just down the block will let loose hordes of theater-goers, who will descent on "Le Paris"in droves for a late supper and hours of laughter and conviviality.
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