I wanted to thank Musée Rodin and Clémence for their generosity and a beautiful tour/explanation of the museum, Rodin’s life and collections.
Sifting through my notes from the interview at Musée Rodin, I see an asterisk next to a sentence: best interview so far. It was underlined several times, followed by a series of exclamation marks. I remember writing in my journal after this phenomenal interview, sitting at a café next to the metro station: Varenne. As I typically do in Paris, I enjoyed a glass of Côtes du Rhône, accompanied by a sense of high that only arrives after a validated self acknowledgement, “I nailed the interview!”
The funny thing was, I knew Rodin’s life and work. I had seen Le Penseur (The Thinker) many times before, not solely in Paris but in other parts of the world as well. In college, I took two semesters of Art History courses, and loved it so much that I would read 1,000 pages of textbooks simply for pleasure. I became one of those annoying people that stared at paintings for hours at a time. My family always grew impatient, waiting for me to finish the entire walk through. I am a fanatic of the classics. I truly believe that a woman breathes a peculiar air of sensuality when she hums notes by Chopin or flip through pages of Tolstoy, Fitzgerald and Hemingway. I think even a fair comprehension of the classics deepens an understanding of history thus opens imagination to explore and seek to fulfill curiosity, whether it’s of the past, present or of the future. I’m a huge fan of modern art as well, but the classics are regrettably fading as our society evolves, and there’s something to be said about nations, particularly in Europe, that have made immense efforts to preserve art and history.
I didn’t know what to expect when I shook hands with Clémence Goldberger, Head of Communications of Musée Rodin. Immediately, we began a tour of the museum, starting in the front courtyard. As soon as Clémence knew that I spoke French, the entire interview was completely conducted in French. It was a lovely, beautiful early evening. She led me inside the museum, we sat by a window, surrounded by Rodin’s sculpture and gazed at the garden outside. Clémence’s words captured my soul. Our conversations glazed over a variety of topics, but most importantly, what does Le Penseur symbolize within the French culture. Je pense donc je suis (I think therefore I am.) How unfortunate for those who travel and never exercised such a gift that we possess as human beings. We mustn’t travel to check off a list of destinations or landmarks, but rather, grasp the significance of the experience within local history, the world or within ourselves.
Clémence chose a time for our interview when we would have the whole museum in privacy, without interruptions by tourists. Prior to the interview, she indicated in an email that the museum would be a peaceful experience. Indeed, it was. We walked through the famous rose garden, strolled by magnificent trees, thoroughly discussing Rodin’s life and workshops. The rain lightly came down as we paused in front of the fountain, while Clémence stepped aside for me to take in the moments. I stood there, staring at Hôtel Biron both in silence, and in resilience. Life takes us to incredible places. At times, it’ll bring you down. But if you think and break through the human internal struggle that we all have, break through Le Penseur in you; life will pick you right back up. One day, you’ll find yourself standing in an elegant museum in Paris, in stillness, in peace.
Note: I wanted to thank Musée Rodin and Clémence for their generosity and a beautiful tour/explanation of the museum, Rodin’s life and collections. During the time of the interview, Jetset Times’ website had yet to launch. Musée Rodin not only said “yes” to my interview, but opened its doors in such a sincere and kind manner. Hence, I’m forever grateful. Merci beaucoup, c’etait vraiment gentil!
Check out more of my interview with Clémence here. Planning a trip to Paris? Visit Musée Rodin.
Beautiful travels,
