The Barefoot Blogger is still not learning French. Although I have at least three online courses and two books on French open at any time, it’s just not sinking it. Well, maybe a little.
Now I’m beginning to think that, perhaps, I understand some of the French words that are around me.
That’s dangerous.
Take for instance the new art exhibit of my friend, Francois Lewandrowski, along with artists Jean-Marie Memin, Guy Mouriame and Lionel Mathieu. It’s named “Deviation.”
The exhibit started a few weeks ago; but before that, Francois sent out a small preview of his work to his Google group. My first impression of the new pieces was that they were “dark” and depressing. In fact, when I saw Francois at the tourist agency soon afterwards, I asked in my poor French, “es tu malade?”
He didn’t have a clue what I’d said. Because he was curious, I guess, he walked over to the only English-speaking person behind the desk and asked her to translate for us. “No, no!” Francois replied after learning I thought he was sick. “It’s an art movement” he said … or at least that’s what I thought he said.
“An art movement?” Hmmmm….
When the show started I ran into Francois downtown again. I followed him to the gallery so that I could have a personal, guided tour. He handed me a pamphlet that was sitting on a table near a group of the pen and inks. It was about the book “Outrage” written by Stephane Hessel
“I get it,” my little brain said to myself. Now I know why they named the exhibit “Deviation.” As I went through the gallery, looking at each piece of art, I began seeing the “hidden” messages. It wasn’t hard to do. These pen and inks by Lewandrowski were surely intended as an “outrage” about something. “If only I could read the print behind the images.”
Artwork in iron by Mouriame was certainly a “deviation.” An up and down staircase. Is it up? or is it “down?”
Same for Memin’s pieces, like “Je te port en moi.”
How could this painting of a bird hatching out of a strange shell be anything but a “deviation?”
Being the “journalist” that I am, I decided to check my theory about the exhibit’s name before I printed it as a “fact” in the blog. I downloaded and read Hessel’s book “Time for Outrage -Indignez-Vous!” It is one of his award-winning writings about the occupy movement that, it is said, inspired the “Occupy Wall Street Movement.”
Was “deviation” another word for “outrage?” I thought to myself. “Was the fact that some of the artists’ work pictured “normal” things in an abnormal way an outrage of sorts.” I returned to the gallery to visit the artists. I was certain they would be amazed and impressed at my deep understanding of their work.
Memin and Lewandrowski were in the gallery when I went in to confront them with my brilliance and my theory on their event theme.
“Where did you come up with the title for your exhibit, ‘Deviation?” I asked the two artists.
They hemmed and hawed.
Memin was the first to speak: “It’s very simple,” he said. “It’s because this gallery is out of the way, not on a busy pathway of the town.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “The gallery is on a pretty secluded side street. “Surely that’s not the only reason for “deviation,” I insisted. “There must be a deeper meaning,” I prodded, incredulous.
“There’s no other meaning for me,” Memin said, matter-of-fact. “Let’s ask Francois,” he urged. “The theme was his idea.”
“Ah… yes,” Francois said when we called him over to ask him to explain his choice of the word “deviation.”
“It’s like a road sign,” he explained, using his hands to draw a rectangle in the air. “We simply wanted passerbys to see the sign “deviation” and “deviate” from their usual route,” he said.
Memin nodded in agreement.
“Really!” I said in some form of French or English while trying not to show my disbelief and my disappointment.
“Really!” I said to myself, “all this time, all this mental energy! These imaginings? for naught?”
Deviation. A road sign. Guess that’s what I get for spending too much time thinking about French words. Perhaps the French language isn’t as hard as it seems.
Deviation
La Verriere
8, rue du Docteur Blanchard a Uzes
Open 1-8pm through August 31, 2015
