ALLEGORY 2009-16
Research on oral and written language.
In the Allegory series, language is both what gives shape to reality and, at the same time, a mirage. Repeated and condensed, it becomes a matrix that structures space, but also a veil that distorts its perception. The various works explore this ambivalence of language across different fields: information, knowledge, literature, spirituality…
The series "Allegory" draws inspiration from concepts related to language, originating from the Middle Eastern East. These sets of ideas posit that oral poetic expression makes atoms dance and shapes reality. Starting from this premise, each phoneme finds its function beyond the meaning of the composed words. This conception of language is also found among calligraphers, whose activity paralleled that of poets. Some mystics, such as Jaffar Ibn Hayan (8th century) and Ibn Arabi (12th century), attempted to give a scientific basis to these practices by seeing in letters the same force of action as sounds.
I sought to represent this concept by using a single phrase throughout the entire production to experiment with its incantatory aspect. Repeated and condensed, the phrases form a matrix that serves as an allegory of creative capacity. Reflecting on the orality of the phenomenon led me to eliminate the background, retaining only the matrix. It becomes a semblance of lace that merges with the world. In the performance "Behind the Text," this elimination of the background occurs in front of the audience. The fragments are saved, weighed, packaged, and ironically put up for sale, akin to a drug. This transfiguration refers to the addictive aspect that arises from the playful nature inherent in this process of poetic creation.
Installation plan et packed sheets from the canvas. 2012
