LES YEUX ROUGES

“In performance, materials, supports, results, processes—in brief, all the attributes that normally characterise a work of art—are associated with the body and presence. By definition, performance is an embodiment.

Artworks do not come out of the blue! They are the result of tentacular, sensual, perceptual, conceptual, physical, psychic or scientific experiments in a given time and space. All thoughts can converge, all choices can be expressed, and all desires wish to interact here.

Les Yeux Rouges proposes to indulge in these surprising practices of performance and action art. The participating artists and authors have developed varied approaches and research. Their work will both question you and provide answers to some of your most ennigmatic existential expectations.”

Text from the press release for the event “Les Yeux Rouges, 24 hours of performance and action art presented in the context of PassArt for Événements 3L and the Centre d'exposition de Rouyn-Noranda, August 4-5, 2000 at the OSISKO Lake outdoor amphitheatre in Rouyn-Noranda”

Curator: Sylvie Cotton

Nathalie pour qu'elle revienne

A collaboration between Sylvie Tourangeau and Denis Lessard, this is a presentation of text excerpts in memory of writer Nathalie Sarraute, who was born on July 18, 1900 and died at 99 on October 19, 1999, just on the threshold of the new millenium.We both love Sarraute as an author for the performative and reflective qualities of her writing.

We address the relationship between reading and writing, the repetitive nature of literary creation, and the sweet absurdity of its eternal beginnings. We also play on the ambiguity of personal pronouns (“he,” “she”) in Sarraute's work. The idea for the staging comes from an article by Sylvain Houde published in Voir (October 28-November 3, 1999): “Two years ago, I was talking to her while she was sitting on her bed, with her notebooks and her Bic ballpoint pens. And she was writing. Still. And she had probably written again, still, just before dying.”

Petits bruits festifs pour un nouveau millénaire
individual performance by Denis Lessard

A sequence of “everyday” actions that produce discreet noises, such as: taking the cap off a bottle, opening a can of soda, dropping an effervescent tablet in a glass of water, pouring milk into a bowl of cereals and finally, uncorking a bottle of champagne (less of a daily thing)...

The noises should be picked up by a mike that is sensitive enough and can be slightly altered using a console (echo, repetition, etc.).

Depending on the number of spectators and on feasibility, the action could lead to distributing a “mimosa” (bubbly and orange juice) to help the spectators start their day.