Des fissures et des mots - Exhibition by Youyouyou Productions & Layla Metssitane
As part of our series of events "Entre la plume et la médaille", we are honored to host the digital exhibition of Youyouyou Productions & Layla Metssitane in our Grande Salle. Visit this page for exhibit hours.
Titled "Des fissures et des mots" (Cracks and Words), this artistic project is led by artist Layla Metssitane and her team: Philippe Groggia, Marcel Lyaudet aka Romain Drac, Myrtille Odichelidze, and Estelle Descard.
The photographic project and its unpublished texts put the spotlight on Paralympic athletes with visible and non-visible disabilities.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet the artist flying from Paris for the closing of this exhibit! Learn more here.
These extraordinary champions, who are heroes and heroines of the 21st century, are shown as powerful beings, outside the stadium or any other sporting venue. They are portrayed as figures, as Greek or Italian sculptures, as icons who embody beauty, grace, strength, desire, and also fragility, hence the title “Cracks and Words.” They all bear cracks inside that they have overcome in order to fulfill themselves.
There was a desire to celebrate, to glorify and to transcend these bodies that are undoubtedly perfect in their imperfections. All of them are covered with a gold film which magnifies the photograph. Layla Metssitane was looking for an artistic technique which would be in tune with the subject and which would lead to a form of creation with distant inspiration in the style of Japanese Kintsugi art. It is not just a simple repair technique, it is a way of thinking, an aesthetic. This vision is based on the acceptance of imperfection. Even more than accepting it, it is about glorifying it, seeing beauty in it. A kind of beauty that relies on three pillars: everything is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete.
Indeed, it is not only a matter of depicting the body in all its diversity, it is an elevation achieved by summoning an artistic gesture. in all cultures, gold bears a spiritual dimension that calls for transcendence. It not only represents wealth on a material level but also on a divine level. It is also the sun, the light or even generosity that is connected with it.
About Layla Metssitane
Layla Metssitane is a French director, actress, and writer of Moroccan origin. She began her theater career at fifteen at the Centre Dramatique National of Dijon and has performed in works such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Phèdre," and "Antigone." She co-founded "La Compagnie Théâtre des Hommes," focusing on women's roles in society and advocating for their rights to culture, education, and social justice. Her acclaimed one-woman play "Stupeur et tremblements," adapted from Amélie Nothomb's novel, explores cultural clashes and patriarchy in a Japanese company.
Metssitane has directed plays like "Palabre en Négritude," inspired by Aimé Césaire's work, and "Où on va, Papa ?" based on Jean-Louis Fournier's novel. She is particularly noted for "Stupeur et tremblements," performed in over 30 countries with support from the French Ministry of Culture. As a writer, she adapted "Fear and Trembling" for the stage and collaborated on film and TV projects. As an actress, she starred in "The Well," Algeria's official entry for the 2017 Oscars, and had a lead guest role in the BBC series "Never Let Me Go." Layla Metssitane is a UNESCO club member and is actively involved in educational and cultural associations.
"Staging, writing, directing, acting, dancing, photographing.... all this in the service of an artistic, cultural, educational and solidarity-based project: that's what drives me. Creating together. Men and women will always want to see a performance, an exhibition, a concert where they know each other, because that's precisely where our share of humanity is played out. My tours, shows and films allow me to meet others in all their diversity, and at the same time to meet myself. Arthur Rimbaud reminds us: I AM OTHERS"
About Philippe Groggia
“Photography was an obvious choice. Having spent more than 40 years taming and interacting with light on the greatest theatrical stages in France and around the world, photography is a natural extension of my career. In photography, I've found a way to capture the ephemeral, impalpable material that I've worked so hard to create over the years. As a humble craftsman of light, I naturally found photography a natural extension of my profession as a lighting designer. My photographic work focuses on the body in movement and portraits"
The exhibition is open during normal business hours, with occasional closure for other activities. Please visit this page for details.
This event is free and all are welcome! Registration is not required, but please consider registering and making a $10 donation to support our cultural programs like this one. Your support allows us to continue the presence of cultural programs which benefit our whole community.