What happens in Paris...

Words Shemaiah Gold

I arrived in the city of love at the Charles De Gaulle Airport after what had felt like a 5-minute flight. There was a part of me that had hoped the flight would be longer so that I could catch up on some of the sleep I had missed. Waking up at 4 am to catch a flight was no joke, especially when you aren’t a morning person. My body was ringing the alarm for a Starbucks iced latte. I settled for 'une noisette.’ I could already smell the fresh croissants and taste the crunch of a freshly baked baguette in my mouth. Whilst on the plane, I had taken a peek out the window and there it was, like a dream, 'Le Tour Eiffel.’

I couldn't help but fall in love with Paris all over again. I had a newfound appreciation for the arts and culture of France. As I waited for my car, I chuckled remembering the A-level French I had taken in sixth form, and debated with myself as to whether I was bold enough to actually speak any of it, as my driver came into view. ‘Why not?’ I concluded. Now was as good a time as any. "Combien de temps prendra le voyage?” I had asked my French driver as he walked towards me, trying my best to sound natural and as though I had been speaking French all my life. He responded in English and asked me if I was from London. That did not go to plan.

The drive to my hotel wasn’t what I had expected! Parisian motorists were like nothing I’d ever experienced. It was almost as though they had no regard for road safety. I spent most of my journey at the edge of my seat trying to remain calm. Driving in Paris certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, I couldn’t wait to get out. It was both a mixture of wanting to leave the journey behind and the excitement of starting my day. It was 11:36, French time and all thoughts about sleep had been frightened away during my car ride to the hotel.

Once in the comfort of my room, I knew there was no time to waste. I had back-to-back meetings and the company of the WOTC content team. I had to admit, it felt like I had my very own paparazzi.

One of the things I loved and appreciated most about Paris was the inspiration you received everywhere you went. From the lollipop lady helping you cross the road (which was one of the things I found interesting considering we no longer have them in London), to the cute café spots on the street corners to the beautiful French buildings. I fell in love with the architecture for the most part. I was also inspired by everyone’s own sense of fashion and the influencers I would see taking pictures. I was surrounded by creativity.

"Alors, allé allé." Interrupted from my daydream whilst on the way to meeting number one at WOTC Paris HQ, the content team was also in tow. I strutted past Palais Garnier in my vintage sky blue suit and Dior accessories feeling inspired. I was a girl on a mission.

The evening came quicker than I had expected, meaning my time in Paris was nearing a close. As I waited for my driver to take me to the 'Les Femme et L'art,’ exhibition; the beautiful collaboration between MTArt Agency and Bumble, I knew it was going to be a fantastic night. Look two involved an embellished cardigan dress from Self-Portrait, my favourite pair of Tom Ford heels, and Chanel accessories. As my car pulled up and the driver stepped out, it was clear he also had the memo. He was wearing a very dapper red tuxedo matching my red dress.

On arrival, I was met at the door by a young Parisian woman with brown eyes and a short blonde bob updo, who checked my name off the guest list. I strolled through the alleyway, my Saint Laurent heels clattering on the cobbled street, with the WOTC content team following behind. I felt like Dorothy walking down the yellow brick road into Emerald City.

I spotted the yellow doors, and on them in large bold letters read 'Les Femme et L'art'. Entering, I was instantly greeted with an incredible social presence. The room was filled with both men and women laughing, chatting, and enjoying this celebration of women in the arts.

I took in the room, admiring the decor. My attention fell to a mirror that leaned against one of the walls and on it read the words ‘soi ta propre muse’ in bold letters, meaning ‘be your own muse.’ Looking down you could see a beautiful flower arrangement with bright yellow petals coordinating with the rest of the room. Then, I spotted the woman of the hour, Marine Tanguy. Walking over to her I extended my congratulations on her phenomenal event and partnership with Bumble. She was very much in her element. "You've come at the perfect time because we're just about to have a performance," she had said to me. The lights dimmed as we all waited in anticipation for the performance of the night. It was powerful to see the art of such bold and strong women working together. Camille Walala, Zhara Holme, and Delphine Diallo were from MTArt Agency, what I’d define as a family of movers and shakers in the art space. Delphine had been with the agency the longest. Camille had joined the family earlier this month, whilst Zahra joined the clan at the latter end of September 2021.

Zahra's pieces owned the wall they hung from. The beautiful array of pastel like tones subtly gave the exhibition room life. “All evening was amazing, the performance was definitely an experience. It was a big first for me to see a dancing robot in harmony with a human. A very moving performance,” she told WOTC.

Camille's piece matched her bright blue hat on the night and with its graphic shapes. You could instantly feel the fun and joy of the world she was inviting you into through her work. “When I entered the exhibition and saw my works hanging in this beautiful gallery,” she commented, describing her favourite part of the night. “Indeed, even though I was born in Paris, I spent little time in this city and had never been exposed to it before. So it was quite moving to see my works hanging in my hometown with other talented artists.”

Delphine's 'Golden Age Art Print,’ particularly stood out to me because I love gold. It reminded me of a modern-day, cosmic version of the Mona Lisa and was a true display of a woman's beauty being redefined. “Femmes de l'art means the art world through the eyes and through the gaze of women. A new world to discover today in 2021. This is what it means to me; a new narrative. This collaboration with Bumble means that I am opening up the conversation and the female narrative to the art world and to a company that is willing to help expand the image of female artists to society. I really appreciate that Bumble is taking a stand to support us women,” she told WOTC.

The ballet performance by American ballerina and quantum physicist Merritt Moore, was breathtaking. I was truly blown away. The performance began with her crouching down and as she did, the audience followed suit. The entire room was enthralled, either sitting or crouched down to hear the heartfelt story of her mum passing away, whilst also taking in the strength and beauty of her being in her most vulnerable state out in the open. The performance was a magical display of tears, ballet, words and light.

She later revealed to WOTC that she had programmed the robot herself. “The highlight is always to see that people fall in love with the works of our artists just as much as we did,” Marine had told WOTC. “We are beyond lucky to work with Camille Walala, Delphine Diallo and Zahra Holm who are quite literally THE artists to watch out for. What a dream!”

The gallery is open from Tuesday 19th - Sunday 24th of October from 12h00 - 20h00 at Espace Leon Temple, 147 rue du Temple 75003 Paris.