Report of a whirlwind month of October 2023 at the 17th Les Mots en l'Aire reading festival
Exhibition “Empreinte multiples et variations” of my linocut prints, poetic expression, talk, beginners workshops : there were many occasions to discover printmaking, and more particularly "relief" printmaking during the 2023 festival of reading at the Chantilly library. Thank you for your visit, your interest and your participation! Let's relive three highlights of a very busy month at the dynamic Chantilly multimedia library (that I would like to thank here).
First highlight, at the vernissage, the reading of the poems composed by the poets from the Adex based on my prints!
During the hanging of the exhibition, two poets from the Adex, Pierre Crabié and Patricia Bonnaud, wrote and read poems inspired by the prints presented. Here are two examples. On the blog, we will report more extensively of this moment later. This was so moving for everyone present, and especially... for me!
Here are two example of the poems created on this ocasion [translated by me, please refer to this blogpost in French for the original poem].
A bridge like a hyphen
between two blues :
from the sky to the sea.
A bridge that streaks the sky
with its steel vines
and tremblingly draws
a shadowy silhouette
on the calm waters.
Pierre Crabié
Let's hold hands
To weather this storm,
May our tomorrow
Be a sweet vision...
For lack of sun,
We'll have warmth
And, when we awake,
A world of sweetness...
Patricia Bonnaud
All the poems written on this day can be read on the Adex website here. Do you like poetry ? Do you write poems yourself ? Check out the Adex website.
Second highlight: meeting with the public.
The library organised a meeting withe the public. On this occasion, we took some time to admire beautiful books illustrated with prints of all techniques and periods, selected with the library team from the reserves!
Third highlight: relief printmaking workshops on linoleum and vinyl.
The library team and I had selected a few haikus on the theme of autumn. These very brief poems (three lines) celebrating the evanescence of things and the sensations they evoke (if we refer to the Wikipedia article) inspired you to create your (first) print. Here are the three most inspiring poems for the sixteen participants.
On a bare branch a crow is perched – autumn evening
Matuso Bashō
The winds of autumn
Blow: yet still green
The chestnut husks.
Matuso Bashō
Leading me along,
my shadow goes back home
from looking at the moon.
Yamagushi Sodo
Congratulations for your prints!
The context : each year, the Communauté de Commune de l'Aire Cantilienne organises a festival of reading, "Les Mots en l'Aire", enabling each library of the area to offer a rich and varied programme of free events for the public. The theme of the 17th edition is "Empreintes" (imprint).
