Lovehotel

There are two kinds of people in this world: those of us who, if handed $250, would immediately think of buying a pair of shoes, replacing the old TV, or making a donation to Save the Whales. And then there’s the other kind: those of us who would blow it all on one night at the Lovehotel, Jota Castro’s rentable tribute to sex, Japan, and French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. It’s not a likely combination, but the references are all there, hidden amongst the plush red cushions, crumpled sheets, and multilingual porno mags. Castro’s one-room Lovehotel exhibit at the Maisonneuve gallery is inspired by Japan’s pleasure palaces, where couples can rent rooms designed to inspire amorous feelings and naughty behavior. Castro, a Peruvian-born Belgian artist, chose Paris as the exhibition site in direct response, he says, to Sarkozy’s controversial proposition to deport non-E.U. prostitutes. These are not, however, the first things that come to mind upon entering the exhibit. After finding the non-descript building housing the Maisonneuve gallery, one must take the elevator up to the fifth floor, where a long, dim corridor awaits. At the end of the hall is the Lovehotel, a red room consisting of little more than a circular bed, books, and, oh yeah, a harness hanging down from the ceiling. A little sleazy, a little run-down. This is not what most people would consider luxury accommodations. That is, of course, the idea. And people seem to love it: after opening April 5 for a “50 day, 50 night” run, the exhibit’s success convinced the Maisonneuve to extend the Lovehotel show through August 31. All of which comes as no surprise, since the Lovehotel’s free admission price and racy subject matter makes it an attractive draw. More dubious, however, is the interactive aspect of the hotel. Would you really pay $250 just to say you participated in ART? If so, the place is yours as soon as the gallery workers leave for the night. You will be given access to the red room, a tiny, red-curtained shower, and a shelf of inspirational toys. You’ll also be able to use a small kitchen, which is totally unremarkable except for the phallic maracas hanging along the wall. I asked a gallery worker how many people have plunked down the cash for a night at this sordid love palace. “Oh, about fifteen different nights have been rented, mostly by couples,” he said, pausing before adding, “There have also been groups of people.” Noticing my raised eyebrows, he quickly added: “We do laundry each day.” Still, I noticed that most of the toys on the shelf remained wrapped in plastic, looking as innocent as any penis-shaped child’s toy. Were the visitors so enraptured by the idea of participating in an art project that they forgot to fool around? Or do all used toys get replaced with each new nighttime visitor?   I decided not to ask. Taking a final glance of the room, I admitted that the sordid setting and dim lighting could perhaps serve as the perfect pretext for fun and games for a bored couple. But as the worker continued to rattle off the other uses of the room—a porno shoot, a magazine party—it appeared that the rental of the Lovehotel had much less to do with setting a sexy, naughty mood than with participating in a commercial art event. Which is all fine and dandy, but for $250, I think I’ll bypass the Lovehotel and spend my dough on trusty whips and chains. The Lovehotel can be visited through August 31 at the Maisonneuve gallery located at 24-32 rue des Amandiers. The gallery is open 2-7 PM, Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is free, but if you’re one of the weirdos that wants to pay $250 to stay the night, contact Maisonneuve at 01-4366-2399. — After working as a reporter and translator in New York, Spain, and Portugal, Jessica Powell moved to Paris to become the editor of an intellectual property magazine. She spends most of her free time trying to make the perfect quiche.