Here is an example of what you will find in the columns that we are launching soon: Les Coups de Coeur and Le Bar de l’Oeil.
This Coup de Coeur is from Robin Siegel.
JJN
All Roads lead to L’Inaperçu
L’Inaperçu, an elegant new photography bookstore and café/restaurant, recently opened at the crossroads of rue Beaubourg and rue de Montmorency in Paris. In French, “inaperçu” means unnoticed, or, under the radar, but this unique and airy photography bookstore is hard to miss, and surely will not remain inaperçu for long.
Enticing window displays beckon the passersby with books that are recent or rare. Designed by bookstore founder Christine Ye’s daughter, Emma Huang, the space contains light celadon walls and fixtures, white marble, and big windows that imbue the space with beautiful diffused Parisian light. The books are displayed in fixtures inspired by the bouquinistes (booksellers) located along the banks of the Seine. L’Inaperçu is a quiet haven where you can make new discoveries, and even pause for a sip of tea, or a meal, on the rue beaubourg side of the space.
Many of the books are rare, out of print, one-of-a-kind, signed, and highly collectible. The concept behind L’Inaperçu is simple: A book is an object, whether contained in a coffret or including a print, much like an art gallery. The core concept, called The Kiosk, masterminded by Emma Huang, actively involves figures from the photography world. Every three to four months, a curator is chosen, who gets carte blanche to select books that correspond to a chosen theme, or just personal predilections. The Kiosk is a separate area located in the back of the store. Currently, Patrick Rémy, art director of Der Greif magazine, amongst others, is the curator in residence, and he has chosen the theme of new and current books for the kiosk. A few standouts: Yelena Yemchuk’s Mabel, Betty and Bett; Gabriella Angotti-Jones’ I Just Wanna Surf; Katie Burnett’s I Wash You Dry; and Matthieu Nicol’s Better Food for Our Fighting Men.
The arbiters behind this newcomer to the photography bookstore scene are Christine Ye, founder; Daniel Blaize, art director (former cultural diplomat in Beijing); Emma Huang, artistic director; Jean-Yves Huang, bookstore director; and Anthony Brienza, bookstore manager.
In late March, French photographer Valérie Belin will curate the Kiosk’s selection of books, based on women photographers.
Robin Siegel
L’Inaperçu
29 rue de montmorency / 65 rue beaubourg
75003 Paris, France
+33 1 42 72 69 80
www.linapercu.com
