“Noircir-Blanchir La Boite Bleu” in collaboration with Marouane Tlilli (2013)

This Bell telephone booth was transformed in collaboration with my friend Marouane Tlilli. The
importance of sharing ones memories with others was central to this intervention. We invited those
who wished to take some of the photos home with them to do so freely and if they wished they could
also leave in exchange a memory behind belonging to them in the form of a photograph, or object or
words. The aspect of sharing experiences, possible interaction between strangers and creating an
intimate space for the celebration of memories and ritual were in fact the main concerns for this on-site
installation.

Dimensions: 30″ x 30″ x 64″
Materials: Silver-based photography technique: 17 photographs 5 x 7 inches & 13 photographs 8 x 10
inches, fishing wire, beads, fold-back clips, wooden support and Velcro, handmade notebook and pen,
fabricated Bell uniform.
Date of Installation: November 23rd 2013
Situated in Griffintown, Montreal, Canada

“Noircir-blanchir la boite bleu”

Dans la vie de chacune et chacun, il nous arrive de sentir le besoin de passer à quelque chose de nouveau, d’inconnu. Un peu comme la nature nous le rappelle: la fin d’un cycle, l’usure d’une roue qui a assez tourné. C’est exactement dans ces moments précis où on ne regarde ni en avant, ni en arrière, plutôt simplement en bas, en haut, autour de soi, exactement comme dans cet espace. La préoccupation du future et du passé devient secondaire.
La plus part des photos ont été prises les quinze dernières années dans des pays différents, elles racontent plusieurs histoires. Ma passion est la photographie argentique noir et blanc; le contraste entre le noir et le blanc nous suggère de méditer sur des dimensions particulières d’une photo alors que l’argentique nous rappelle que la vie est faite de manière et de réactions physiques et chimiques.
Ces photos appartiennent désormais à cet espace, libre à vous de participer à ce projet en y amenant votre contribution à travers votre simple et précieuse présence, ou bien en manipulant, ajoutant, échangeant des objets, bref tout
est désormais possible.
Aujourd’hui, mes intérêts se sont transformés et complexifiés, des projets similaires se feront bientôt, une collaboration est possible, manifestez-vous!

Signé par les collaborateurs :

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“Blacken & whiten the blue box”

In each of our lives, there comes a time when we all feel the need to move on towards something new, the unknown beckoning us once more. In a way, it is quite similar to natures’ constant reminder of a life cycle’s end, or a rusted wheel nearing its last turn. It is exactly in these precise moments where we tend not to look ahead nor behind us, but simply look down, or up and all around us, just as we do in this space where you are standing. Consequently, the preoccupations of the future and the past become secondary.
The majority of the photos displayed here were taken during the past fifteen years in different countries, all of them telling their unique stories. My passion is black and white silver-based photography. The contrast between black and white suggests a space for us to meditate on the particular dimensions of a photograph while the silver-based process reminds us that life is made from various physical and chemical reactions.
From this time forth, these photographs belong to this space, allowing you an assured freedom to participate to this project by bringing your contribution through your simple and precious presence or by manipulating them, exchanging them with your own photographs or objects referring back to your own memories. Anything is possible; it is now up to you to decide its fate.
Today my interests are transforming and becoming more complex. Similar projects will submerge shortly, and your collaboration is essential to the existence of this space.
Come play and express yourselves!

Signed by the collaborators:

• Installation