Feminist Contemplation
Words projected on the walls transform a simple place into a space that invites an intimate thought of feminism.
Installation realized in collaboration with the students of the class of 2021/2022 of the Master 2 Audiovisual and Digital Media of the Université Grenoble Alpes, within the framework of a workshop “Mobile video and immersion” animated by Benoît Labourdette.
The installation
These words, diagrams and drawings are projected on the walls, the floor and the ceiling. They make hatch in all simplicity of the personal questionings. This singular space invites to a return on oneself, to a calm thought. We have noticed that visitors spontaneously want to lie down in this benevolent place, to let go. This place seems to be full of a sweet life and rich in discoveries. After a while, they also want to take a picture of each other in this universe, to keep a trace of this very intimate moment.
The device
The device is simply made of a short focal length (0.5) video projector and an IPEVO VZ-R bench camera connected to it. Both are placed at a corner of the room. The projector covers a surface whose width is double the distance. Thus, if the room is 5 meters diagonal, the projector will project an image of 10 meters wide, which will cover almost everything, from floor to ceiling.
Under the camera, we draw with a felt pen. These drawings (in negative, thanks to a function integrated in the camera) are projected on the walls. We can also cut small pieces of paper with the drawings, so we can place them very precisely in the space.
The creation
The moment of creating the words and drawings is collective. The whole is constituted as each person proposes, taking meaning little by little in relation to the rendering of the projection in space. It is a real moment of exploration.
Of course, for the group that creates the texts and drawings, it is necessary, prior to this activity, to have taken the time to reflect on feminism, so that what appears is well-founded and important for everyone. I think that a classic exchange on the subject is not the best way, because we risk normative discourses. Personally, I bring a lot of books on feminism, and I propose very simply, freely, a time where each one consults, computes, impregnates himself of what speaks to him, and of perhaps more precise notions than those which he had before. Thus, the words and drawings that will be proposed will be more anchored and enriching for the visitors.
The interaction
The visitors, accompanied by a sound environment diffused in the room, will find much astonishment to see the texts and images transforming, anamorphosing as they move in the space. They will also enjoy the projection on their bodies. They will experience a very intimate, very physical relationship with these notions and patterns. For example, the projection of the clitoris on a man represents a very touching image. And, in groups, they will play at placing the other in very precise postures, so that the words are projected in the right places on the body. This work on posture echoes the postures in social interactions between women and men.
It could also be possible to imagine that visitors intervene on the drawings and texts, by moving them, by creating new ones. But, surprisingly, moving around in this simple space already offers a very large number of interactions, which really make you think, in a very playful and at the same time very delicate way.
The practice of feminism seems to me to be an essential stake in the cultural actions, because the awareness of the systems of domination allows to go towards more equality, therefore to contribute to the democracy. The inequality between women and men is for me a cornerstone of the dominations that harm everyone.
But how to “put feminism into practice” concretely in public proposals? How can cultural actions, whatever their field of implementation (artistic, social, educational, professional...), arouse inner movements towards more respect of human rights? It is not a question of stating a normative feminist discourse, but of putting into practice an equality in the ways of acting. This is much more delicate and delicate to do than one might think, because it involves questioning one’s own unconscious functioning.
I share here some resources, partial, from my own pathways, practices and questionings: proposals and stories of cultural actions, working methods, methods of artistic creation and more conceptual or biographical reflections.
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Domination on Display: An Ethnological Analysis of the 51st César Ceremony
Eight years after Blanche Gardin, six years after Adèle Haenel, nothing has changed. The system has even strengthened itself.
The César ceremony is a ritual. Not an artistic ritual, but a social one, whose analysis reveals the mechanisms of domination at work in the (…) -
Patriarchal feminism
When emancipation can reproduce patterns of domination.
Surprisingly, certain forms of struggle against patriarchy can unintentionally reinforce the very structures they seek to combat, particularly (…) -
On systems of domination in the film industry
The reasons for the violence are not what you might think.
The film industry is built on deeply entrenched systems of domination. These hierarchical mechanisms legitimize violence, including sexist (…) -
Workshop immersive techniques for creating an exhibition
An account of a method for constructing a point of view and an exhibition.
Students in the Master 2 Audiovisual and Digital Media (AVMN) program at Grenoble University were asked to organize an exhibition on the theme of (…) -
A definition of feminism
A thought movement in dialogues.
Here is my definition of feminism, from my place as a man: it is for me a movement of thought and action for equal rights between women and men, (…) -
Podcast: “For a democratic and feminist pedagogy”
Dialogue between Noémie Rubat du Mérac and Benoît Labourdette on June 25, 2022.
Overview of the fundamentals of the pedagogical actions conceived and carried out by Benoît Labourdette, linked to the deconstruction of systems (…) -
Collective film shot in a movie theater
Creative participation method.
Giving a voice in a creative way to the spectators of a movie theater, before the screening of a film.I put this proposal into practice in the (…) -
Equality is not won!
A collective film (3’12s, 2022).
An intergenerational film to become more aware, and more equipped, to defend equality. -
Fragments of lives
A collective movie (3’20s, 2022).
By sharing all our views, even the most intimate ones, we become stronger! -
Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes
A collective film supervised by Benoît Labourdette (2’40s, 2021).
Collective empathy exercise. -
Women’s voices
Immersive digital device, designed by Manon Gady and Maïa Hoog.
Immersion in feminist demonstrations, in the word of women.Device conceived and realized by Manon Gady and Maïa Hoog, students of the class of (…) -
Writing workshop in inclusive language
Literary game.
Literary writing game in inclusive language, which can be offered even for a few minutes, in all types of settings and for all ages.Inclusive (…) -
Feminist Contemplation
Participatory art installation.
Words projected on the walls transform a simple place into a space that invites an intimate thought of feminism.Installation realized in (…) -
The feminine neutral
Speaking method.
Count the number of people present, and if there is a majority of women, suggest the game of using the “feminine neuter”: “all of us” instead of (…) -
In front of our eyes
Collective film (3’10s, 2021).
Behind every object, the patriarchyIt is a chain, a sequence shot: each person films an object and gives it life, through the voice, putting (…) -
Gisèle Halimi Feminist Film Festival - Ville des Lilas: “Female gaze” workshop
Film creation workshop, to decode the images.
Male gaze ? Female gaze? What is the difference? How do images place us in positions of domination or submission? In the lobby of the Garde-Chasse (…) -
What kind of world do we want?
A film by Benoît Labourdette (0’54s, muet, 2020).
Bibliography in 2020 for the emancipation of women and men. -
Audiovisual workshops to combat gender stereotypes
Methods for audiovisual creativity.
Thought-provoking ideas and proposals for audiovisual workshop concepts for nuanced and useful actions, with the aim of building critical thinking (…) -
Sexuality #01
A film by Benoît Labourdette (2’28s, 2020).
Sexuality, that intimate space that we experience as natural and spontaneous, is in fact largely constructed by our culture. For more sexual (…) -
Domination
Un film de Benoît Labourdette (1’26s, muet, 2017).
Rebattre les cartes des systèmes de domination.
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Workshop immersive techniques for creating an exhibition An account of a method for constructing a point of view and an exhibition.
Students in the Master 2 Audiovisual and Digital Media (AVMN) program at Grenoble University were asked to organize an exhibition on the theme of (…) -
Women’s voices Immersive digital device, designed by Manon Gady and Maïa Hoog.
Immersion in feminist demonstrations, in the word of women.Device conceived and realized by Manon Gady and Maïa Hoog, students of the class of (…) -
“Artificial Intelligence: stop or yet?” - Workshop for the creation of an exhibition Master 2 Audiovisual and Digital Media - Grenoble Alpes University.
Facilitated a multimedia workshop to help a group of students take an in-depth look at the challenges of Artificial Intelligence through their own (…) -
On systems of domination in the film industry The reasons for the violence are not what you might think.
The film industry is built on deeply entrenched systems of domination. These hierarchical mechanisms legitimize violence, including sexist (…) -
“Studying your own film: learning and issues” Master’s thesis (Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III - 1995)
My master’s thesis, written at the age of 25, about the audio post-production of my first feature film « Head in the water ». Direction : Pierre (…)
