Palatinus in Paris - One Day Left!

How can it be that there is only one official day of viewing left for John Palatinus' first solo exhibit at the gallery Au Bonheur du Jour in Paris? Wasn't I there just yesterday, framing the prints with Bernd? And then, that awe-inspiring opening night?



Long story short, fellas -- Paris was a huge success!







And how do you spell "success in Paris?" T-E-A-M-W-O-R-K!!



The logistics themselves were ridiculous. The artist and his "publisher" (that's me!) on the west coast of the USA -- the project manager in Germany -- the gallery owner in France. All have met each other in couplets, but never all in the same room, until January 15 -- only 3 days before the show opened! Only the modern miracles of email and Skype could have brought this all together in so short a time!

Let me give my heartfelt thanks here to the people who made this all possible:

Bernd, for all the massive legwork (advertising through posters in shops and announcements in all the local gay magazines and especially a 4-page article in France's top gay magazine, "Tetu" [#162, January 2011]) and for such enthusiasm about spreading John's story and art throughout Europe (there's more to come!)



Mme Nicole Canet and her gallery Au Bonheur du Jour (John's #1 choice for premiering his work in Paris) for taking a chance on this intercontinental experiment



Billy, John's longtime friend who stayed with us in the apartment and found himself playing "mother hen" and keeping the madness at an acceptable level (not to mention all the work actually hanging the show and letting himself being talked into playing the "cowboy" at the opening night!)



young model Sven of Berlin who made his first trip to Paris to play the "sailor" at the opening and certainly made a hit with the crowd!



bartender Candy, also from Berlin, who made sure everyone who came into the gallery that night had a glass of champagne (and who gave me my first two shots of Jager a couple of nights later!!)



Daniel Nassoy, the official "Palatinus in Paris" photographer, who is such a total sweetheart and became an instant friend to all of us foreigners -- thank you for your beautiful photos and your warm spirit!



Bob Patrick, who befriended John and me at the Antebellum Gallery opening last February, and whose amazing collection of vintage male photography made a direct impact on this exhibit (and who also played the "construction worker" for the evening!)



Oliver, Uwe and Andreas for all the in-the-background work -- John, Bernd and I send you our sincere gratitude!

Thank you, Pablo, for coming to the opening and sharing your art and your love of the vintage male physique with John (and also the world at your blog, Le champ clos)



Herve Le Goff, with whom I had a too-brief conversation at the opening, and who created this wonderful film of the opening night (what a fantastic surprise to find when I returned home on the 25th!) -- Merci, kind sir!



Best of luck to Chip on his new endeavor -- thank you for flying in to be with us on this special occasion!

To my beloved Willem -- thank you for forcing me (yes, literally FORCING ME!) to go on this foreign expedition. Just one more amazing adventure that I could never have made without you -- but so weird to have made "on my own" with you back home... Here's looking forward to Berlin this fall, together--! I love you!

And, last but certainly not least, Mr. John Palatinus -- what a strange trip the last two years have been! Who could have dreamed all this would result from an email and a phone call? You've knocked my world off its axis and sent me flying into space (and Paris, and soon to Berlin...) -- who knows where we'll end up next? Thank you for taking me on this amazing journey!



(Photos 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14 are by Daniel Nassoy [c 2011] -- thanks again, Daniel! More photos of the opening night and other events to come soon!)