In the year 2000, a large, yellow, grinning cat began to appear on the walls of buildings and subways in Paris. Different from most graffiti, he was clearly identifiable, although appeared in different positions and roles. Chris Marker, French documentarian, set out to discover the creator of the cat and in doing so, was led all over the city whenever a new one appeared. The search for the cat is the thread that weaves together a chronicle of incidents of a political nature: strikes, demonstrations, election campaigns, political scandals etc., that Marker works into his documentary. The mysterious grinning cat begins to appear among signs and banners of political demonstrations. Marker finally reveals the creator of the grinning cat to be an art collective known as Monsieur Chat. At the end of the film, the painters are shown painting a huge grinning cat in front of the Pompidou Center, the modern art museum in Paris. Mom saw this documentary last year at home and was intrigued by the cat. Today, her friend Sue found one of the cats as she was meandering through the textile market in the 18th arrondissement. She wants to go see it for herself when she recovers.
The inquisitive feline has a knack of dodging death by a whisker, or so it is believed. How appropriate to use a cat to represent political nature: strikes, demonstrations, election campaigns, political scandals etc. Does the cat always have wings on it?
ReplyDeleteForgive my lack of manners, we hope your momma is feeling better. We're sure she had no plans on going to Paris and getting sick with a cold thus preventing you from exploring. Get well soon.
ReplyDeleteMarilynn, Coco and Puffy
The cat doesn't always have wings on it. Often it's in the same position, but without wings, other times it's in a frontal position. It has been in trees like an owl or a gnome but as soon as it's within reach it "disappears." The cats that have remained are high on the wall or roofs of buildings.
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