Paul Bowles’ book was adapted by Bertolucci for this film, which features a significant cameo from Bowles himself. He subsequently derided the film, but I enjoy its slow pace and lazy beauty. Mostly I enjoy Debra Winger as Kit Moresby - can you tell?

Friday before last in Paris (how time flies!) we visited the Musée du quai Branly to take in the architecture*, but I found the collection of art from non-western backgrounds much more interesting.

The exhibits were vital and exciting. Unsettling too. There were short films by anthropologists as recent as the seventies, capturing some of the costume and objects in use. I had forgotten the French’s fascination for ‘primitive’. Walking around I saw Picasso here, Gaugin and Rousseau there, JP Goude and Gaultier too.  Indigenous life in their colonies seemed to infiltrate art and visual culture from the very beginning. Seeing the ‘bambara’ collection at the YSL exhibition in the afternoon just cemented the connections…

*Jean Nouvel’s architecture wasn’t as great. I loved the colours, I loved Patrick Blanc’s plant wall and the landscaping and planting. The museum itself seemed to have so much circulation space - the walk from entry to the exhibits was about ten minutes! My architect buddies felt it was badly detailed, but fortunately I don’t notice - I’m a broad brush stroke girl.

An exhibition of Rachel Whiteread drawings accompanies a new monograph by Prestel.  Alongside the drawings are some pretty beguiling collections of objects.

My favorite shots from this Flickr set. Which was taken the week that Yves Saint Laurent made his debut at Dior. So timely!

I want coral nails.

Rather dull Oscars + Corey Haim’s passing = Martha Plimpton and River Phoenix in 1989.

I mean, really. All those starlets can just go home right now and start again. Dont worry, neither of them feature in this.