A Place/Shop/Studio/Universe in the 3rd arrondissement. BLESS was founded 1997 by Ines Kaag and Desiree Heiss. It is a project that presents ideal and artistic values by products to the public and it is my current working place.
This is another artistic centre that opened recently, this time housed in a former 19th century music hall that later became an indoor roller coaster attraction (yeah, really). The temporary exhibitions can be hit or miss, but I like hanging out in the free, open-to-all library on the first floor where you can sit in the futurist media pods and flip through the latest arts, culture, music, design and architecture magazines. Their shelves are also filled with a growing endowment of books which seem to be acquired according to the theme of the aforementioned exhibitions. Internet access is available on a dozen or so PCs (or via WiFi on your own machine) and for gamers, there are a few consoles connected to largish plasma screens. The café upstairs, with its classic baroque meets retro-futurist interior, is a sight to behold.
I've interviewed curator and founder Marie Madec a couple of times now; she represents their contemporary artists with a dedication and enthusiasm that's infectious.