Palace of the Sun King, now with giant lobsters

A storm in a teapot for some, a sign of progress and institutional recognition of contemporary art for other, a controversial decision for all, the French public is debating the value of Jeff Koons’ new exhibition, held in a small township on the outskirts of Paris that goes by the name of Versailles and is perhaps better known for being home to the lavish display of absolute monarchy in the form of the eponymous palace.

Until late December, the gigantic structure displays not only the fabulous architecture of Louis le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the murals of Charles LeBrun and the legacy of the Sun King, but also a selection of kitsch sculptures by the contemporary American artist Jeff Koons. Featuring timeless classics such as a metallic balloon dog and a gigantic lobster, the exhibition has stirred up controversy in both French and international media with some calling the exhibition a successful mix of contemporary and classic art, others blaming it for ruining the “single most important piece of French national patrimony”.

This latter statement of course raises a far more universal question. Museums in the United States are mostly buildings constructed for that very purpose, even if often in the style of the palaces of old Europe (as in the case of the Met or the PMA). Museums in Europe are very often themselves an integral part of cultural heritage – the Louvre in Paris, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Palace of Kadriorg in Tallinn - all are important landmarks in the cultural history of their respective countries in addition to being repositories of classic art. And if cultural heritage should be preserved as much within the context of the time and the society to which it belongs, then their use as museums of art from Polykleitos to Pollock is certainly a topic worthy of discussion.

There is no doubt that the image of such "museums with a history" has changed significantly over time. Most consider the Louvre an art museum first and the historical residence of French kings until Louis XIV second, if at all. However, this may not be a bad thing - the history of the palace has certainly been well recorded within the museum's exposition and the Louvre's prestige as the world's foremost art museum has, if anything, then added to the value of this particular piece of French patrimony.

The Versailles' is a somewhat different case, as the focus there has always been on the palace itself. In fact, Koons' exhibition is the second temporary exhibition to be held at the Versailles, the first being an overview of 18th century furniture - not quite the contrast a giant lobster in the Sun King's bedroom creates. For many Koons' exhibition represents not only a significant distraction in the display of true French Patrimony, but also a significant step towards a more liberal and perhaps more careless attitude towards cultural heritage.

In my mind, the conservative view is both an oversimplification of the issue as well as an underestimation of the average museum-goers' intelligence. Heritage sites, such as the Versailles need not only to preserve the national patrimony, but also present it to the general public. Along with that come the necessities of promotion and fund-raising, in other words, museums need to interact with contemporary society as much as they have to preserve the past. Koons' exhibition certainly has brought the Versailles' back to the front-pages of national newspapers, will probably generate significant revenue and most importantly, as Jean Clair, a member of the French academy very thoughtfully points out, creates a discussion about the values held in the post-modern society through the very fact of being displayed in the Versailles. Koons does not detract from appreciating the patrimony gathered in the Versailles, quite the opposite, he adds to it, by constructing a dialogue between the the society of Sun King and our own.