ARTE Distribution

"Insights" : Jürgen Bey - "A potted history" of the fan - "Rising trends" : Living at La Pedrera - "What to do with" sea bass ? - "Insights" : Christian Lacroix at the Hôtel des Petits Moulins

"Insights" : Jürgen Bey
Engaging in critical design in an attempt to understand the world, is how Dutchman Jürgen Bey defines his work. A pillar of the "droog design" movement, he breaks away from the sobre and conceptual works of the years 80-90. For this artist/philosopher, all creations must answer the basic questions - how to act, how to look and what to look at.

"A potted history" of the fan
Still a cult object in Spain, the fan is an indispensable accessory for any flamenco dancer. But it also relates the history of seduction, Spanish-style. Held in the right hand in front of the face, it means "follow me". Turned around it means "we are being watched". Placed on the right cheek it means "yes", on the left it means "no", and on the lips it means "kiss me"!
It was a Japanese craftsman who invented the fan in the 7th century, taking his inspiration from the wings of a bat. In the 16th century, the fan was introduced to all European courts. It went down a treat in Italy. Then it arrived in France, thanks to Catherine de Medici. During this period, French masters became experts in the art of making fans. Today, it is in Spain that they are always precision-made. In wood, mother-of-pearl, ivory, horn, silk, feather or lace, there is a fan for every taste and every rank of society. For Spanish women, the fan remains a fashion item to be matched to an outfit. Each Spanish woman has four different fans on average.

"Rising trends" : Living at La Pedrera
We take you to one of Gaudi's major creations. Nearly a century after it was built, La Casa Mila, knicknamed La Pedrera - the quarry - remains just as revolutionary. It boasts the curved and organic shapes the modernist architect was so fond of. But La Pedrera is not just a gem of architectural heritage, people also live there.

"What to do with" sea bass ?
On today's menu: a typical fish of the warm Mediterranean waters - sea bass. We asked Rougui Dia, the young chef at the 144, the restaurant run by the la Pétrossian establishment, to prepare it for us. Specialising in sea produce, she concocted a light and delicate dish, in between a crab risotto with botargo, and a sea bream cooked on a tartare of algae.

"Insights" : Christian Lacroix at the Hôtel des Petits Moulins
In the Marais district in Paris, Christian Lacroix has decorated a hotel. Some of the rooms are inspired by England in the sixties, others boast wallpaper made from some of his sketches. The bar combines an English retro 50s style with a French open-air dance hall style, and there are also various impromptu collages done by the designer.