In the Company of Unreal Creatures - La Compagnie Créature

In September I went back to see the Charleville-Mézières Puppet Festival... Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, which is held in the town every two years. My first visit was in 2011 and I vowed then that I'd return. During each festival, all the streets radiating out from the vast central square - la Place Ducale - are overtaken by all kinds of performers and performances, of all nationalities.

This year was no different, except that one group of performers had taken centre stage in Place Ducale and seemed to be the focal point to all the activity in the square. Compagnie Créature had mounted 15 theatrical 'sets' in an oval formation. Each of these had its own individual theme, yet remained closely linked to all the others to reveal the universe of Les Irréels. This was indeed a strange parallel world, populated by imaginary creatures that were half-beast, half man, yet did not seem to step from ancient mythology or from feel-good anthropomorphism. Sometimes the creatures could be related to a species of the animal kingdom, but this was not always so....

Certainly, there were a great deal of children in the crowds that amassed in front of each 'performance', but in fact Les Irréels seemed to address the infant in every person, regardless of age. It made the adults question all that separates the grown-up world of certitudes from that of childhood trust in make-believe and possibility. Although the majority of the children understood that the creatures were not 'real', the silence and tranquility of these strange beasts gave them a nobility and grace that made them want to interact. These were not marionnettes, but were performers in elaborate costume and facial masks, but that basic fact was soon forgotten due to the mesmerizing effect.

As the creatures busied themselves with their given occupation they drew in an audience fascinated by this odd spectacle of different characters, all inciting varying reactions and emotions. The performance flows over time - literally hours - there is no beginning or end for this is no scripted show; the creatures simply get on with their allotted tasks but are ever-attentive to the audience. Had Les Irréels been upfront and chatty, the spell would probably have been broken. As it was, the lack of words created an incredible proximity and communication with the audience. The reactions of the children were very touching to watch as they interacted as they could, totally absorbed in the whole event.

They were in turns a little intimidated by the grandeur of these beasts, rather frightened of some forms and features (and not without reason!) and just in awe and admiration of others. But however they felt, they went up to the creatures to try to speak to them.

Apparently, the initial aims of the founders of Compagnie Créature was to create a theatrical universe that presents the youngest public with universal, timeless themes that may often seem difficult or too sensitive to approach. Through a world of poetry, gesture and mime, the audience is led by the imaginary to think about the real world around them and find the humane/human therein. The dramatic art here brings us face to face with the dramas that punctuate our lives, and accompanies us as we do so, with warmth, peace and tranquility.

The theatrical artifice of the Irréels seems to bring out the realities of human existence, stripping away the layers of adult 'truths' that cover up reality with a child-like candour. Compagnie Créature was founded at Blagnac, near Toulouse in 1990 by a couple dedicated to the universe of the theatre, the plastic arts and puppetry. It is the daughter of Michel Broquin and Odile Brisset, Lou Broquin, who conceived and leads the project of les Irréels, accompanied by her mother, sisters and an expanding group of fellow performers.

There are 15 themes in the Irréels, each explored by a different identity, set within a unique backdrop, rich in colour, density of detail and heavy in symbolism. The symbolic does not, however, have a stifling, stuffy weight; each theme is intricate yet simple, like a carefully woven cloth that invites you to touch and examine it to see just how it 'works'. Just as these creatures are not some cozy, crazy modern twist on Beatrix Potter's characters, the role of each of these imaginary beasts responds to a very real need in our universe.

In front of each set, the title of each hybrid beast is clearly stated, along with its 'role' in the bigger picture. Yet these are not simply 'explanations' for the benefit of the younger public; they are addressed to us all, so that we may ponder over our own fears, hopes, losses and loves. How do our lives 'work' and what would Life be like if the Irréels really could work their magic in the real world. What separates this imaginary universe from ours? Childhood from adulthood?

There was no fixed beginning or end to the collection of sets and many people seemed to go back to look at these again and again as the magical combination of simplicity, serenity and sophistication took its grip.

La Dorloteuse d'Enfance

One of the first I encountered was the Dorloteuse d'Enfance - The Pamperer of Childhood - whose role, as stated on the sign in a rather more poetic French, is " to give life back to the scraps of childhood years and to make our past states re-emerge in the present"...

Her set is appropriately crowded with the bric à brac of childhood -  old toys and games . The soft nursery colours, just like the Dorloteuse herself, are warm and comforting. The same impression was given by the Réchauffeuse d'Hivers - The Warmer of Winters -  a sleek, feline figure who the children gladly approached...

La Réchauffeuse d'Hivers 

Her role is "to knit hope in order to heat our cold interiors" - both material and emotional - with her gentle demeanor and her numerous spools of thread, spindles of yarn and balls of wool that fill her set. She 'tucks in' her audience with her soft blankets and warm throws in order to get them through the harsh, wintery moments of Life.

In the same vein, but on a more personal level, the Raccomodeuse de Coeurs - the Mender of Hearts  - welcomes her public as she busies herself with her numerous tasks in her colourful space...

La Raccomodeuse de Coeurs

As excellent seamstress, the Raccomodeuse sews up bruised and broken hearts, darning frayed sentiments and repairing the weakened stitches in love stories...

The Raccomodeuse de Coeurs is accompanied by the Brodeuse d'Amour who brings Love back to life in our own lives through her bright sequins, ribbons and pearls...

La Brodeuse d'Amour

The incredible vibrancy and openness of this scene is offset by the closed, shady environment of the Veilleuse de Mystères...

La Veilleuse de Mystères

Inside her hut, the Veilleuse - or the Guardian of Mystery - is barely visible beyond the peepholes, her slow, shrouded movements are just perceptible. We catch a tantalizing glimpse as she turns...

She assures that the mysteries of Life remain intact, safe from the ravages of logical vision that rationalizes everything away to produce the plain, palatable blandness that is often associated with the world of adults.

La Berceuse de Secrets

With a similar desire, the Berceuse de Secrets - the Lullaby-Singer of Secrets - endeavours to soothe and protect our innermost secrets.

With her soft, discreet melodies she incubates these secrets in the depths of her wooded environment, right up their their liberation...

L'Accompagnateur d'Absents

In his lair, the Accompagnateur d'Absents cut an eerie figure that seemed to inhabit the dark, dank corners of a mythological underworld...

Despite evoking the dead, his purpose is reanimate their living memories in us through his music. Likewise, the Rafistoleur de Mémoire - the Mender of Memory - works on the elements of life that have slipped into oblivion yet need to be restored in a mindful present.

Le Rafistoleur de Mémoire

The Mender seeks to patch up our memories of the past and like an archeologist he will piece these together again, so that they are no longer forgotten, buried under the weight of time. His hut is full of the artifacts that make up the scrapbook of our existence. Just as an elephant never forgets, his role is to ensure that we no longer do so either...

In order to wash out or water down any moments that may soil or sour a pristence, sweet existence, the Lessiveuse de Malheurs - the Washwoman of Woes and Misfortunes - offers her services...

 La Lessiveuse de Malheurs

The washerwoman flushes out sadness, and removes the greyness and grime that may dullen our lives. Her cleansing provides the brightness and freshness usually associated with childhood.

Toiling beside the Washerwoman was the Pêcheur d'Espoir  -  the Fisherman of Hope - who indeed resembles an amphibious creature, with his mud-coloured clothing and fishing equipment.

Le Pêcheur d'Espoir

His role is simply to catch Hope and return it to the world so that we regain faith in the idea that everything is possible.

So that we may advance freely with open minds, fed on curiosity and eagerness, the Marmiton de Passion is there to accompany us with his recipes....

Le Marmiton de Passion

This Kitchen-Hand in Passion is ready to cook up concoctions that will fill us with enthusiasm for numerous things, thus liberating us from doubt or hesitation.

So that we can follow our path in life in good company, the Tisseuse de Liens - the Weaver of Relations uses her needlework skills to bring people together...

La Tisseuse de Liens et La Traceuse de Chemins

Once the Weaver's work is done, the Traceuse de Chemins - the Path Setter - will trace out the paths that we will tread together...

The Rêveur d'Amis Imaginaires - the Dreamer of Imaginary Friends -  will ensure our journey in life is not a solitary one.

Le Rêveur d'Amis Imaginaires

His role, as stated on the sign is "to dream, invent and draw the friends that populate his spirit, before they go on to join Humans"...

But to be truly free in life, we need the services of the Chasseur de Terreurs who will help us tame our innermost fears and train our unwieldy trepidation...

Le Chasseur de Terreurs

The Tamer of Terror will enable us to perform in the theatre of our lives, as bold actors not passive extras.

It was interesting to see how the children reacted to the imposing form and impressive facial expression of the Tamer.... But curiosity took the upperhand, and the Irréels had operated their magic.

From tomorrow - Christmas Day no less - the Compagnie Créature will be in Seville, Spain. What a great Christmas present for the locals!

La Dorloteuse d'Enfance

Turtles of Peace in Paris - Les Tortues de la Paix à Paris...

On Saturday a vast squadron of helmetted soldiers emerged from stacks of blue crates, to form an 'ephemeral installation' just in front of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. A growing number of white resine turtles quietly spread themselves out over the sea of paving stones in front of the historic building. The manoeuvre was organised and orchestrated by the artistic creator, Rachid Khimoune, who went on to explain the aim of his project; the peaceful 'military' demonstration of the need for Peace. Indeed, his turtles are made from moulds taken of old war helmets that he had come across in flea markets, In this manner, the evocative forms of protective headgear from former enemy armies - U.S, French, German, Russian - have been brought together as a united front to make a stand against ongoing wars around the world. As the artist rightfully pointed out, after each atrocity carried out in the name of one vision /worldview or another, we hurry to utter the words "Never again" , and "Lest we forget", and yet suffering emerges again and again, in cyclical waves.

A mythological symbol of wisdom and humanity, the turtle also follows a cyclical movement; that of its evolutionary destiny. Each spring, it returns to reproduce, tracing a path with calm determination, driven by its vital role in the survival of its species, despite any obstacle encountered. Not surprisingly, the turtle is a totem for many peoples around the world as it connects the elements of water and earth, harmonizing the Past, Present and Future. Serenely carrying the world on its back in perfect equilibrium, the turtle is often thought to be the symbol of Mother Earth herself, with a feminine energy that leads to creation and Peace. Chasing away evil spirits and malefic forces, it is even less surprising that the poor creature has been routinely sacrificed for the restorative and protective capacities of its vital organs. It is now sought after for the 'cool' factor it bestows the tourist selfie.

Rachid Khimoune's One Thousand Turtles of Peace have frequently disembarked on symbolic shores - the most notable perhaps being Omaha Beach in Normandy, site of the D-Day landings in the Second World War. They have also made dramatic appearances in front of the Trocadéro (Paris), Fontainebleau and the Château de la Celle Saint-Cloud. For the artist , the very word tortue is highly evocative, conjuring up those of "tort, tue, torture" (wrong, killing, torture), and yet here the turtles summon a call for reflection and, ultimately, a call for Peace.
The artist was born in France in 1953, graduating from the l'Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1974. Gradually moving from painting towards sculpture, his work seems to be inspired by the magic and vital energy that is all around us and yet we often fail to see, and this inspiration is certainly drawn from his Berbère roots of North Africa. His bestiary of animal sculptures are fantastic and yet all-so-familiar as they are composed of the detritus of our daily lives. Bringing together past and present, his work provides us with a new way of seeing ourselves and the world about us, and hopefully the means to make a change in the future. He became Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 2007 and has had exhibitions of his work all over the world.

The Fabled Hare...

The other day, I was listening to one of my favourite 'Christmas' songs - Gaudete sung by Steeleye Span - coined an 'Electric Beard' group, stylistically-speaking! That led onto the Mooncoin Jig, that was so infectious that it actually led me to grab my son for dance around the living room. I don't know which was the bigger achievement - dancing around on a Monday morning before work or getting a teenager to attempt it.

I then came across the beautiful recording The Fabled Hare by Maddy Prior - the female singer of Steeleye Span. She has a truly magical voice. In fact, her whole (ongoing) career seems so rich as she is interested in many different artistic projects that appear to focus around Stones Barn.

So, The Fabled Hare made me want to draw a hare of my own. These strange creatures have fascinated Man throughout History, and continue to do so, though not generally to the Hare's advantage...

I haven't drawn anything in years, so it was a bit of a hit-and-miss affair, and now that it's supposed to be finished, I can see what needs redoing on my anatomically-challenged hare! Nevertheless, it was still good to use an ink pen for something other than marking essays, exams and the like. My video took far longer to put together than the actual drawing, but I wanted something to accompany the music... The final version is only part of the original song, which is some 9 mins in length.

I recently found a newspaper article that I had kept, concerning the 2012 Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition of Kit Williams' work Masquerade, when the elusive hare amulet finally went on public display. The very story of the amulet itself seems to be like some kind of fable - showing the beauty, creativity and greed that is in all of us - just in different measures, presumably. Apparently, the current owner lives in the Far East, and wears the marvelous necklace each Christmas...

Kit Willams - Hare Amulet - Masquerade

Science, Strength and Love...

Science, Strength and Love - La Science,  La Force et L'Amour...

The above is part of a beautiful sculpted façade that I came across in the Musée Historique de Saint-Remi which is situated next to the Basilique Saint Remi in Reims. Each September, the museums and historical/ religious sites that make up the cultural heritage of France are open free of charge to the public over a long weekend, Les Journees du Patrimoine .
This year, I visited the museum, which is the former royal abbey of Saint Remi and is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. The collection features many periods in the history of the city, with special emphasis on its gallo-roman past, when it was the capital of the imperial province of Belgium, and was known as Durocortorum. However, there are more 'recent' items on display, and the rooms themselves are very atmospheric.

Sculpted roman capital in the chapterhouse - Salle capitulaire

Although most of the details concerning the piece Science, Strength and Love were rather vague, the date cited was fairly precise, at around 1160-1180. Apparently it was part of a tympanum ie. a semi-circular or triangular decorative relief above an entrance, in this case a geminated window that originally adorned the home of a 'wealthy Rémois'.

 Vaulted ceiling - Salle capitulaire

Each city has its own unique past, the traces of which can often be seen almost intact, in the usual places such as the old, historic urban centres. Sometimes, however, these traces seem to appear in the most unlikely ones too, and almost go noticed as we hurry past in our modern-age rush. Otherwise, we discover the remains of our distant past, preserved in museums, and are obliged to link these to everything that makes up our lives today. This may occasionally seem a difficult task indeed! Whilst it is fairly easy to imagine the past when we can still see impressive architecture or artifacts in our urban landscape, it is far harder to do so when there are few of these left. To see Roman mosaics and sculptures that were unearthed in parts of town that merely seem to reflect concrete late-20th century urbanism is incredible. Although the hard historical facts can be observed in any history book, actually seeing the human aspect of this past is another matter....

Science...

The practical elements of these earlier lives does not necessarily astound me, even if the relative sophistication of their civilisations might at times be surprising, given the limited technical means. However, the painstaking drive towards the aesthetic always amazes me.

Strength...

I don't know if the work on this window was commissioned by the home-owner himself, to express his world view and/or reflect his social status or by someone else with the means to finance such a project. Nevertheless, the result expresses the significance of Science, Strength and Love from a life some 800 years ago! This beautiful sculpted relief has long been uprooted from its original site - literally its 'home' - yet still speaks to us, not just of material wealth but also the love of Beauty.

Love...

In our thoughts...

I went to the cathedral last night for the peaceful atmosphere I knew I would find there.
This has been a long week for everyone here, with a great deal sadness over what has happened and what this will mean, not just for the people in France but everywhere, all over the world. Two of the victims came from the school, so the horror of the situation really hit hard, and yet is still so difficult to absorb.

Jeanne d'Arc - Greg Tricker

The stained glass piece above was part of an exhibition in the cathedral and is the work of the British sculptor, Greg Tricker. Inspired by Jeanne d'Arc for her "communion with the angelic realms" he has produced many works that provide comfort in the "Godless age" in which we live. His pieces - sculpted, painted or stained glass - are often accompanied by the music of composer John Tavener.

Perhaps we have lost our spiritual direction in these times; but maybe losing sight of what is sacred in Life itself is far worse .