Calendar

Feb
15
Fri
French Eyes on Boston Painting Workshop at the French Cultural Center
Feb 15 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

French artist and Boston resident Marguerite Wibaux will lead a workshop on alla-prima, a technique made famous by Matisse.

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Marguerite will lead this fascinating workshop, which will begin with an explanation of the technique and a presentation of the model. The attendees will then be invited to pick up their brushes and produce their own portraits, alla-prima.  Easels, canvas, brushes and acrylic paint provided will be provided to all attendees.

About Marguerite Wimbaux

A member of the Center since 2017, Marguerite has quite the atypical career. After graduating with an MBA from the prestigious HEC Paris, Marguerite worked in advertising for the most-renowned French Maisons, from Cartier and Hermès to Van Cleef, Hennessy, the Italian Cavalli, and Armani.

These past experiences in the realm of couture translate into Marguerite’s art. There is a passion for patterns and an obsession with composition and structure, while staying true to the energy and character of her subjects.

The colorful diversity of Marguerite’s artwork is also influenced by her childhood. Marguerite was born in Argentina, and has lived in Peru, Italy, China, France, and the USA.

Currently, Marguerite’s pieces are commissioned and sent to galleries across the globe, from Milan to New York. 

To learn more, visit Marguerite’s website: https://margueritewibaux.com/

Mar
5
Tue
Francophonie 2019: Launch Celebration
Mar 5 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Francophonie 2019: Launch Celebration @ French Cultural Center

Mix and mingle with Boston’s Francophones at the French Cultural Center

March is le mois de la Francophonie! Join the French Cultural Center as they celebrate the launch of this annual celebration of the French language and Francophone cultures. This is a great opportunity to meet Boston’s Francophone institutions and sample delicious drinks and light bites from their respective cultures!

Come meet representatives from business, governments, and nonprofits and learn more about their community offerings, calendar of events, travels, studies, and work and visa programs.

Come one, come all for what promises to be a festive evening!

FREE – RSVP REQUIRED

Mar
12
Tue
An Evening with Renée Fleming at French Cultural Center
Mar 12 @ 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Join the French Cultural Center for an intimate dinner and conversation with renowned opera and Broadway star Renée Fleming.

About Renée Fleming

COVER_briottetRenée Fleming is one of the most highly-acclaimed singers of our time. Winner of four Grammy® awards, she was presented with the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in 2013. In 2014, she became the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, and she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

Renée earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the 2018 Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. Her recent tour schedule has included concerts in New York, London, Vienna, Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, and Beijing. She is heard on the soundtracks of the Best Picture Oscar winner The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and as the singing voice of Roxane, played by Julianne Moore, in the film of the best-selling novel Bel Canto. As Artistic Advisor to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, she spearheads a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health focused on music, health, and neuroscience.

Renée’s most recent album Renée Fleming: Broadway was released in September by Decca. She has recorded everything from complete operas and song recitals to indie rock, jazz, and the soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings. Among Renée’s awards are the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit, and Sweden’s Polar Music Prize.

http://www.reneefleming.com

About Mosaïque

COVER_briottetCultural programs are at the core of the French Cultural Center’s mission to promote the vibrant growth of Francophone cultures and the French language in New England. From art exhibits, concerts, and film screenings to author talks and children’s workshops, we continually seek to welcome experts in various cultural fields to provide a window onto the diverse cultures of the Francophone world.

Support Cultural Programming in Boston

Gifts made in honor of the Mosaïque Award Ceremony are 100% tax-deductible and provide critical support for cultural programming at the French Cultural Center.

Make checks payable to: French Cultural Center
Mail to: French Cultural Center
Attn: Joyce Grippen, Director of Development 
53 Marlborough Street
Boston, MA 02116

Apr
5
Fri
Fashion Show at the French Cultural Center
Apr 5 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Celebrate fashion with an exclusive show at the French Cultural Center.

Join the French Cultural Center for a fashion show featuring seven emerging designers from across the globe, live music, and over 30 exclusive looks. (Plus, open wine bar!)

Curated by Lana Barakat of Beacon Hill’s December Thieves boutique, Boston-designer Christian Restrepo and Toronto’s Nuit Atelier will present their own creations during the show.

Event starts promptly at 7:00 PM with an open wine bar. The fashion show is comprised of two fashion collection showings with a 10 minute intermission in between. We will close the evening with a wine and hors d’oeuvre reception where guests can mingle and meet the designers. Complimentary light hors d’oeuvres and an open wine bar will be provided, hors d’ oeuvres crafted by Chef Cyrille Couet courtesy of Colette Bistro.

Designers included in the show feature: Rundholz Apparel and Trippen Footwear from Germany, Lurdes Bergada from Spain, NostraSantissima from Italy, Studio B3 from Poland, Nuit Atelier from Canada and Christian Restrepo from Boston.

Apr
23
Tue
Rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris at the French Cultural Center
Apr 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

An evening of remembrance, community, and support.

In light of the recent fire at Notre-Dame de Paris, the French Cultural Center will host an evening to honor and celebrate this iconic landmark. 

Professor Antoine Picon of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design will join us for a presentation on the marvelous architecture of Notre-Dame de Paris, including what was lost in the fire, and its significance today.

The 25-minute presentation will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. Guests will have the opportunity to make a donation to support restoration efforts – from $5 to $5,000, every dollar counts!

All donations will benefit the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, an organization dedicated to restoring this iconic cathedral.

Click here to RSVP.

May
23
Thu
From the Royal Court to Active Textiles at French Cultural Center
May 23 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

French Cultural Center’s French Innovation series looks at French fashion innovations.

Fashion plays a significant cultural, societal, and economic role in France. The second program in the French Cultural Center’s French Innovation series will explore this French staple, from the fashion of its royal courts to the country’s indefatigable status as a pioneer in fashion and luxury innovation today. 

Gwen van den Eijnde, of RISD, will enlighten us on French contributions to the world of fashion, from the first mentions of style in the fifteenth century to the liberation of women by Chanel and Dior. 

For a peek into new innovations in the fashion world, Christophe Guberan will introduce us to his Active Shoes research project, which explores the future of shoe production and performance with self-transforming textiles. 

Event in English. A reception with refreshments will be provided after the discussion.

Guests are welcome to explore our eye-opening French Innovation exhibition in our gallery, featuring sketches, models, and more related to this series’ programs.

About the Panelists
guberan

Christophe Guberan is a Swiss industrial designer who teaches product design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The buzzing and innovative ecosystem of the Greater Boston Area allows him to augment his practice while experimenting with new research and technological development.

In 2014, Guberan began collaborating with the MIT Self-Assembly Lab and Founder & Director Skylar Tibbits, a pioneer in 4D printing, to create “active shoes” under the Minimal Shoe project for Design London Museum. Guberan has continued his exploration of material interactions, digital manufacturing, and self-assembly processes. His projects include Hydro-FoldLiquid to Air, and his most recent collaboration with Tibbits, Rapid Liquid Printing, which tackles speed, scale, and quality challenges in 3D printing technology by printing objects suspended in a gel-like medium.

gwen

Gwen van den Eijnde is a Dutch-French designer working in the disciplines of fashion, fine art, and theatre. Through his expressive, avant-garde clothing and costume designs, he creates captivating characters and tells enthralling stories that stretch the imagination. A professor at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), van den Eijnde’s multi-layered approach is informed by his deep knowledge of fashion history and theory; his work is a commentary on the peculiarities of life, often finding subversive humor and fantasy rooted in fact. Van den Eijnde has studied and worked with some of the most esteemed practitioners in his field, including artist Edith Dekyndt in the Atelier Textile of the Ecole Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs de Strasbourg, costume designer Olivier Bériot, choreographer Robyn Orlin, and the revered Hermès atelier, Petit h. Before joining the faculty at RISD, he was visiting professor at the Fashion department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and Head of Textile Design at the Haute École des Arts du Rhin in Mulhouse.

Jun
6
Thu
Hot Air Balloons and the Sonic Boom at the French Cultural Center
Jun 6 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Learn about France’s contributions to aerospace.

It has been 50 years since the supersonic Concorde took flight, and France’s significance in the aerospace industry continues today. In fact, last year the French aerospace industry was ranked second in the world.

For the culmination of our French Innovation series, we invite you to learn more about this top-ranking industry. Specifically, we will focus on French on aeronautic advancements, from hot air balloons and a plane shaped like a bat to current efforts to reduce aircraft emissions.

Aaron Lewis of Ariane­space, the world’s leading commercial satellite launch provider, will tell us what it takes to reach for the stars. Vik Kachoria of Spike Aerospace will uncover the secrets of the next generation of supersonic commercial jets.

Event in English. A reception with refreshments will follow the discussion.

Guests are welcome to explore our eye-opening French Innovation exhibition in our gallery, featuring sketches, models, and more related to this series’ programs.

About the Panelists
Aaron Lewis


Aaron Lewis
 is Vice President Corporate Communications & Government Relations at Arianespace, a leading satellite launch company. Aaron is also Associate Director of Future Space Leaders, a foundation aiming to advance learning and professional enrichment of young space professionals and future leaders pursuing careers in the fields of space and satellites.

Prior to joining Arianespace, Inc., Aaron was a press secretary and legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher – who is Chairman of the Space and Aeronautics subcommittee. Aaron graduated from St. John’s College Annapolis, Maryland where he studied the History of Math and Science, and Philosophy.


vik


Vik Kachoria
, CEO of Spike Aerospace, Inc., is a seasoned aerospace executive with 30 years of industry experience. Vik’s career has included management of, and consulting for, high-growth ventures including supersonic jets, VLJs, air taxis, charter flights, sub-orbital rockets, and solar-powered satellites.

Jun
19
Wed
Startup Tour Worldwide at French Cultural Center
Jun 19 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

The French Cultural Center is proud to host the Boston regional competition of the French Founders Worldwide Startup Tour.

The French Founders Worldwide Startup Tour, a global competition for entrepreneurs wanting to expand globally. Join the French Cultural Center to hear pitches from five local startups looking to advance to the final competition in New York.

Selected Boston startups will pitch to a jury comprised of Consul General, Arnaud Mentré; Laurent Audoly, President & Founding CEO of Kymera Therapeutics; Yannick Ouvrard, Chief Financial Officer at Keolis Commuter Services; and Damien Balsan, General Partner at Conexo Ventures.

Event in English, followed by a cocktail reception with complimentary refreshments.

About The Startup Tour
startup tour

The Startup Tour is a unique opportunity for startups to connect and pitch in 12 cities in front of a powerful audience of business leaders based in Europe, the Americas, and APAC. The three regional competitions are supported by the strong network of the French Founders community with its 3500+ members and leaders.

In the Americas, a French Prize will be awarded to a Francophone entrepreneur willing to expand in the Americas and an Americas Prize is awarded to an Anglophone entrepreneur willing to expand in France.

About French Founders
french founders

Founded in 2014, French Founders is a next generation business club that connects global Francophone leaders with one another through a digital platform enhanced by a team of more than 20 relationship managers. Their mission is to facilitate business exchanges within their exceptional community of CEOs, top executives, and entrepreneurs. French Founders is headquartered in New York, New York but exists in San Francisco, London, Paris, Shanghai, Montréal, and São Paulo.

Jul
12
Fri
Bastille Day with the French Cultural Center
Jul 12 @ 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Bastille Day Returns to Back Bay

The French Cultural Center’s signature Bastille Day celebration returns to Marlborough Street on Friday, July 12 with a nod to homegrown French heritage via live NOLA music. Each year, this street party welcomes 2,000 people for dance-worthy music, festive food and drinks, and an emphasis on embracing diversity. After sold-out events for the past five years, this festival is not to be missed.

The musical lineup this year showcases two phenomenal acts straight from New Orleans: acclaimed vocalist and trumpeter Shamarr Allen, who has collaborated with the likes of Patti Labelle, Harry Connick, Jr., and Willie Nelson; and gypsy swing band Bon Bon Vivant, which pays homage to the New Orleans music tradition while infusing an indie/punk edge that attracts both swing dancers and indie-rockers alike.

Back Bay’s beautiful Marlborough Street will be blocked off between Berkeley and Clarendon Streets to accommodate attendees, volunteers, and vendors. Delicious food from some of Boston’s best French restaurants and drinks, including beer and wine, will be available for purchase. New this year, attendees can buy an all-access Garden Party pass, which offers admission to both the street festival and the Center’s private soirée featuring an open bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Bastille Day in Back Bay is fun for all! The event is free for children under 10, who will enjoy the Center’s activity table for kids with face-painting, art-making, and more from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Event is rain or shine. Tickets non-refundable. Strollers and backpacks strictly prohibited.

Aug
21
Wed
Two Centuries of French Fashion at the French Cultural Center
Aug 21 @ 5:53 pm – 6:53 pm

An Ephemeral Exhibit with the Lasell Fashion Collection and Boston Fashion Week

Join the French Cultural Center in celebrating Boston Fashion Week with a unique look at curated French pieces from the Lasell Fashion Collection. This unique exhibit and separate private tour of the collection are for one evening only!

Free and open to the public, the general reception will start at 7:00 PM and run through 9:00 PM, with light refreshments.

Ephemeral Exhibit: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

The Fashion Collection team at Lasell University have curated an exceptional intimate fashion retrospective spanning two centuries and multiple designers. On display will be 17 pieces from the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, Jeanne Lanvin, and Comme des Garçons among others. These select pieces, including an original 1880 Parisian opera costume, will face each other in an exhibition that tells the story of their eras through their designs and the techniques used in their creation.

Jill M. Carey, Professor and Curator at Lasell University, Stephanie Hebert, Collections Manager, and their team of passionate students will be available to guide guests in this exceptional journey enriched by interactive components.

This event will mark the launching of the website and digital catalog of the University’s own permanent fashion collection.

Private Tour: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Limited tickets to a private tour and presentation of historic French hand fans with fan historian and collector Shelly Goncalves, former president of the Fan Association of North America, are available for purchase.

 

About the Lasell Fashion Collection
Established in 1996, the Lasell Fashion Collection (LFC) contains approximately 3,000 objects and currently resides in the Donahue Center for Creative and Applied Arts. While the collection spans 200 years of fashion history, the LFC is notable for its 20th century designer fashions, with an emphasis on couture. In 2018, over 1,200 artifacts were transferred to the LFC upon the closure of the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA. This important acquisition enriched the breadth and depth of the LFC’s holdings, specifically in 19th and early 20th century everyday wear, undergarments, and accessories.

About Boston Fashion Week
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Boston Week! Boston Fashion Week was founded as a civic initiative in 1995. The force behind the week has been dedicated to creating opportunities that increase the viability and visibility of the local industry. The series of fashion related events throughout Greater Boston and beyond serves as a platform for both established industry professionals and aspiring newcomers to showcase their work as well as network with peers and the public.


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