Pharrell Williams |

The Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts (MNAAG) in Paris, home to the largest collection of Asian arts in Europe, gave ‘Carte Blanche’ to a site-specific installation created by Japanese contemporary artist Mr. and curated by Pharrell Williams : it’s a ‘Call to Action’.

Located on the fourth-floor rotunda beneath the dome of the main Guimet building, the exhibition runs until September 23, 2019. The project started five years ago based on an idea by Pharrell Williams–who is a self-proclaimed fan of Mr.’s work. The result of this long standing collaboration is an installation of bright, child-like figures sporting a military aesthetic while some carry firearms: the duo emphasizes the importance of younger generations in a world tormented by adult choices.

Pharrell Williams commented: “Kids run the world and this work is a challenge to leaders to do something immediately – for a better, bright future.”

Featuring painting, sculptures and neon signs, Mr. invites the viewer into an immersive pastel coloured world, which aims to represent a positive and peaceful momentum in finding solutions for today’s problems. “Amid the tension and crisis of uncertainty that we live in today, we need to believe in the hope that can be found in children, and take inspiration on the promise of their optimistic outlook and spirit. Kids have the power. With art, we start this dialogue in this way” says Mr.

The toy-looking rifles do not symbolise violence literally, but militance. Children’s best weapon, to be protected at all costs, is their creativity and imagination.

View the full set of pics here

Carte Blanche to Mr. & Pharell Williams
A Call to Action
Musee National des Arts Asiatiques – Guimet
6 Place Iena, Paris
Until 25 September 2019

After initially meeting up in Miami in 2007, multi-talented musician/designer Pharrell Williams and French gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin decided to continue their artistic collaboration seven years later with an exhibition curated especially for Galerie Perrotin’s new space, the Salle de Bal in Paris.

Set in a former ballroom at the Hôtel du Grand Veneur, a 17th century Hôtel
Particulier in the Marais area of Paris, “G I R L” is a contemporary art exhibition, which brings together 48 artworks – including 12 specially produced works. The show pays tribute to femininity through the vision of 37 artists / including 18 women.

G I R L - Perrotin Paris

Pharrell says, “Just like my album [G I R L], what I tried to do is offer many different facets of my appreciation for women…I love women everywhere. I make no apologies for the wide spectrum of affinity for women.”

Participating artists include: Marina Abramovic & Ulay, Chiho Aoshima, Daniel Arsham, Valérie Belin, Sophie Calle, Johan Creten, Tracey Emin, Daniel Firman, Gelitin, Guerrilla Girls, Laurent Grasso, Gregor Hildebrandt, JR, Alex Katz, KAWS, Bharti Kher, Klara Kristalova, Mr., Guy Limone, Annette Messager, Ryan McGinley, Takashi Murakami, Prune Nourry, Yoko Ono, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Rob Pruitt, Paola Pivi, Terry Richardson, Germaine Richier, Cindy Sherman, Taryn Simon, Mickalene Thomas, Aya Takano, Agnès Thurnauer, Xavier Veilhan, Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann…
G I R L - Perrotin Paris

Some artists have also decided to illustrate Pharrell in their artwork like Takashi Murakami. Daniel Arsham’s The Future Pharrell features a glass and resin life-size statue while Laurent Grasso painted Pharrell as Napoleon on a horse before a colossal statue of an Egyptian queen. The Japanese artist Mr. and the American artist Rob Pruitt have created, respectively, a painting of Pharrell with the word “GIRLS” on it, and a sofa, Studio Loveseat, which depicts Pharrell’s image over the years.

G I R L - Perrotin Paris