Under the impulse of curator Gwenael Billaud, several artists gathered on February 19th 19 at the Silencio club, in Paris. Art shorts and performances were presented to a selective public.
The Silencio is offering a tangible rythme. Going down the stairs I looked at Alexandra Gidson’s oneiric works before entering the somber gold space, unclassifiable between an underground lounge and a club. (at Mas Tassini Studio we are particularly sensible of Gibson’s photography, so close to ours)
The crowd is different here and packed at early hours for the Parisian style. I took a cocktail and meet art fellows. Some still enchanted by their presence at the Art Capital, like Christopher Lavenair’s underwater photography, “Salon Comparaisons 2019” In the group selected by Francois Fasnibay. Some preparing for the performances to come, some there to support us, collectionneurs and gallerists festively interacting. Retro tubs are vibrating the air. At the buttons we see the d.j. curator, artist himself, Gwenael Billaud. Dressed to the nine's with his memorable high hills, he is the ceremony master. Shy but incredibly sexy, glamorous and so arty, he is welcoming each and one of the artists.
The movies are ready for projection, I present four, since 2009 till today, and for the first time on a big movie screen. The small cinema, where the aura of David Lynch shines, reminded me of the very posh ones in LA. Those places, away from the blockbuster world, where the discutions are flourishing, like in a theatre, around indie movies . The screening will go on and on till 6 am. Thy humble storyteller here and other artists: Arnaud Cohen, Thierry Mouille, Valérie Grancher and some other that I did not saw.
Meanwhile, on the stage, performances are starting. I hide over there, away from my works. Amelie Pironneau and Laetitia Lagouzet along with Deed Julius are marvellous of sound and poetry, covering the scene with their introspections. I go back and forth between the two spaces, a glimpse of the public’s reaction, small talk with a young cinema directress, another performance, another look into the dark.
Marco Tassini, my tech brain and right arm, the camera magician I make my unwritten art movies with, is in there, getting the public pulse. They are everywhere, seated in the comfortable sofas, on the stairs and standing. You can leave and come back , get a drink, see the movies later, see them twice, talk about it at the bar, question the artists… this is Silencio and I enjoy it.
My last work has been projected on a gallery wall in NY, or on a tv screen during Art Basel Miami, austere analyse, looked with intellectual comments, passed by or fixed on and on but here the public is living it, applauding, and not by respect, passionate appreciation.
I create away from the city, far form the crowd, yet, they exist only in spectators’ eyes. We are all poets, writers of a new language, going from darkness to light and back, searching for that moment of grace we generally call art.
Alexandra Mas