Events

Le 7 septembre prochain l’institution new yorkaise ABC Home, ouvrira ses portes pour la première fois aux Etats Unis aux oeuvres calligraphiques de Thich Nhat Hanh, à travers l’exposition Calligraphic Meditation: The Mindful Art of Thich Nhat Hanh

Tich Nhat Hanh, maître du Bouddhisme Zen, fervent défenseur de la non violence lors de la guerre du Vietnam fut soutenu par Martin Luther King lors de sa nomination pour le prix Nobel de la Paix en 1967. Il est considéré par le New York Times comme le deuxième personnage le plus important du Bouddhisme après le Dalai Lama.

Son histoire est intimement liée à celle de la France, où il trouva refuge en 1972 après avoir été expulsé des Etats Unis. Son opposition à la guerre du Vietnam le contraint à l’exile alors qu’il enseignait à Princeton et Columbia. En 1982, il fonda dans le Périgord un monastère qui allait devenir la plus grande communauté bouddhiste d’Occident. Son enseignement et ses écrits ont depuis atteints des millions de personnes à tr

Exhibition opening reception on September 10, 6 to 8 p.m. Exhibition on display through October 30.

Exhibition curated by Shanny Peer, and co-organized by the Maison Française and Rare Book & Manuscript Division of Columbia Libraries

This exhibition celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Columbia Maison Française, founded in 1913 and the first French academic and cultural center on an American campus.  It presents a wonderful collection of unpublished photographs, documents, program materials, and AV archives. These are woven into a narrative celebrating the rich history of the Maison Française and the role it has played in exposing Americans to notable French thinkers and artists, disseminating French and Francophone culture and ideas in the U.S.,  and nurturing strong ties between Columbia University, France, and the Francophone world.   

The Centennial Exhibition is on display at the Maison Française in Buell Hall. It is free and open to the public from September 5-October 30, M

Coucou Brooklyn, a French language school and cultural center in Williamsburg, now offers French classes for babies and toddlers. Children who are under age 4 are at the ideal age for learning a new language and Coucou is happy to be a part of this formative stage!  

The instructor previously ran the babies and toddlers program at the Alliance Française in Boston, and is an expert in catering to the learning habits, needs, and attention spans of little ones. Classes promote a fun, stimulating, and soothing environment, and will include a colorful array of songs, games, nursery rhymes, and fun activities that kids and parents alike will enjoy.

The “Baby Steps” program is divided into two groups, one geared towards 1-2 ½ year olds, and one for 2 ½ - 4 year olds. Each group will meet once a week, and one caregiver must attend class with their child or children. Classes start October 2^nd, and registration information can be found on the “Specialty Classes” page at www.coucoubrooklyn.com

The original work of two gifted French artists Henri Gueguen and Joëlle Kem Lika will be on display at Agora Gallery, NYC. The exhibition is scheduled to run from October 29, 2013 through November 19, 2013.  The opening reception will be held on Thursday night, November 7, 2013 from 6-8 pm.Entrance is free and all art lovers are encouraged to attend, enjoy and meet some of the artists whose works make up this delightful show. 

About Henri Gueguen

In his art, French artist Henri Gueguen seeks to forge new ground in terms of visual structure, textural consistency, and diversity of materials. Working in a variety of media (from lacquer paint to ballpoint pens), Gueguen captures his subjects both in two dimensional and three dimensional contexts, masterfully combining rich colors, bold lines, a strong sense of light, and rhythmic compositions to create a distinct and original art form.

A central theme in Gueguen’s work is the “tall, slim lady,” both elegant and dynamic, which was inspired by

Live stage performance by Jacques Martial, in English

Performance followed by a dialogue between Jacques Martial and Alex Gil

Event location: Miller Theatre, Broadway at 116^th street

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., line forms at 5:30 p.m.

This year marks the centennial of the birth of Aimé Césaire, one of the greatest French-speaking writers of the 20th Century. Born in 1913 on a small island in what was then known as the French West Indies, Césaire published Cahier d’un retour au pays natal (Notebook of a Return to My Native Land) in 1939, at age 26. It would become a seminal text in the renaissance of black dignity and black pride throughout the world.

Jacques Martial is currently president of the Parc de la Villette, one of the largest public cultural venues in Paris, and is also a well-known theater, cinema, TV actor, and theater director. This performance is a production of Martial's Compagnie de la