For centuries, artists, writers and intellectuals have traveled to Paris to be inspired. It has always been a cultural center, and for many — including Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Diego Rivera and Ernest Hemingway — the city's beautiful streets, people, culture and "je ne sais quoi" forever altered their lives and shaped the rest of their careers.
This migration to Paris continues today, and contemporary photographer Jack Dzamba, whose new exhibition, "Paris in Boston," recently opened at the French Library Alliance Française of Boston, presents a modern manifestation of the city's profound effect on its visitors. For many artists, the memory of a Parisian sojourn is a lens through which they come to view everything else in their lives. As they continue to produce new works, many return to their experiences in Paris with its distinctive character, people and architecture. Dzamba, in his new exhibition, references this trend but does so in a very unique way; he examines those aspects of Boston that are imbued with the likeness and spirit of the city of light.
In the exhibition, which is comprised of 10 photographs, Dzamba presents well-known Boston landmarks such as the Boston Public Library at Copley Square, the Boston Common and the Charles River in small, black and white photographs.
These are sites with which many Bostonians are already familiar. But in this context, they bear a startling resemblance to Paris. The brilliance of Dzamba's photos is that they manage to capture his love of Paris but also cause the viewer to examine Boston itself more closely.
One of the photographs, "Sunset over the Charles River" (2007), captures the Charles just before dusk. The image is not in full focus, and as a result, the curving Charles, surrounded on both sides by buildings and traversed by a bridge, bears a striking resemblance to Paris' river, the Seine.
Another photograph in the exhibition, "Boston Winter #6" (2004), depicts the edge of a Bostonian park as seen between two high-rise buildings. The photo captures the park's trees and an ambient wintry mix, and once again, the scene bears a strong likeness to Paris. Indeed, were it not for the photograph's title, it would be easy to assume that this was an image of the Parc Monceau, which is situated in one of the French capital's most elegant neighborhoods.
The exhibition's photos are also part of a book that the artist produced entitled "Paris in Boston" (2008).
The book features many more images that Dzamba has captured that link Boston to Paris. Though some are more compelling in their connections between the two cities than others, they provide an excellent complement to the works displayed on the room's walls.
Another wonderful aspect of this exhibition is its setting in the French Library Alliance Française of Boston (FAB). The FAB, located in Back Bay, is a center for French culture and learning, and according to its Web site, it offers the second largest private collection of French books, periodicals, DVDs and audio and video cassettes available in the United States. The FAB also offers French language instruction courses and numerous programs for French enthusiasts such as French-themed lectures and dinners.
The FAB is located in a large mansion on Marlborough Street, and the exhibition — which is open for free to the general public — is displayed on the walls of one of the first-floor reception rooms. With its crystal chandelier, elaborate mantle piece and large windows, the room itself has a Parisian feel, which adds a great deal to the photographs displayed and serves to reinforce the connection between these two cities.
"Paris in Boston" demonstrates that the City of Light casts a long-lasting spell on those who visit its famed streets and experience its captivating culture. For Dzamba, like many artists, it has changed the way he views his surroundings. For Bostonians, this exhibition both draws surprisingly forceful connections between Boston and Paris and forces its residents to examine their own city more closely.
Thanks to the exhibition, French enthusiasts in Boston can now experience the City of Light by walking through the Boston Common. But they should be forewarned: With Dzamba's creative take on the city, they may feel a strong urge to hail a cab to Logan Airport and catch the next Air France jet to Paris.
