A City of Ideas
Cities are built upon ideas. These ideas coalesce into narratives and myths that form a neural network of urban life. Though rooted in the past, these ideas continue to guide and challenge us today.
Rue Saint-Antoine, le Marais
Recently posted for viewing:
“Myths and Mysteries of the Bastille”
with Roger Mummert
The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, is emblematic of the French Revolution and the triumph of citizens over state tyranny.
This popular uprising marked the end of the ancien régime and the emergence of France as a modern democratic republic. But as happens with historical turning points, the Bastille has attracted a myriad of political and ideological interpretations.
"Myths and Mysteries of the Bastille" explores how a medieval fortress and prison became a worldwide symbol of state tyranny. At the same time, the Bastille uprising 234 years ago was achieved largely by working people and immigrants--and without leadership from the Revolutionary elite.
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About this Website
Paris is a city where one can slip between cracks in time, and the ideas of all ages, ancienne and moderne, can be experienced at once.
I invite you to explore with me the myriad of ideas—of enlightenment and equality, romanticism and deconstructionism, bohemianism and haute couture—that originated in Paris or flourished there.
—Roger Mummert
View from Esplanade les Invalides
