You followed this up with a post-residency in Aix-en-Provence for a new phase of the project, at the Vasarely Foundation. How does this place, emblematic of the dialogue between art and technology, resonate with your approach?
The Vasarely Foundation is a place I like very much, but one that imposes real demands: its monumental volumes and works invade the space, making it difficult to intervene in any way that is not at one with the architecture. For this new phase of the project, I chose to integrate this presence by working from the rooms, the eight alveoli, whose acoustic reverberations I captured, and by adapting my performances and workshops to the identity of the site. I was very apprehensive about the question of sound, as the space is so massive, but after several tests, the tapestry alveolus proved to be ideal: acoustically accurate, visually inspiring. I adjusted my video montages so that they interacted with the works without overpowering them, creating continuity rather than contrast. Moreover, the images shot in Japan, often very nature-oriented, began to resonate with the industrial, almost cold, graphics of the Fondation. I was very happy that things worked out so well.
This partnership between Villa Kujoyama, Kumamoto and Aix-en-Provence highlights a Franco-Japanese dialogue around contemporary creation. How do you perceive this circulation of ideas and sounds between the two cultures?
Since my residency at Villa Kujoyama in 2021, I have forged many links with Japanese artists and musicians, links that have given rise to collaborations, performances and recordings, and that are being strengthened today thanks to the residencies in Kumamoto and Aix-en-Provence. What makes these programs so valuable is that they don’t just offer a place to work: they facilitate access to local scenes, to artists you wouldn’t otherwise meet, to networks that would take you years to approach on your own. The Villa teams, like those in Kumamoto or Aix, play the role of intermediaries: they know the venues, the artisans, the artistic communities, and create the perfect conditions for real exchanges. And then there are the co-residents. When affinities are created, this can give rise to new projects. That’s something I’ve loved: in 2021, as this year, I’ve met some fantastic artists. We set up projects and did performances together. With Alexandre Balgiu then, with Martin this year… There have been lots of moments like that. Without the Villa, none of this would exist. There wouldn’t be these encounters between very different people, working in sometimes very distant mediums.
AloJapan.com