The theme of the textile, proposed for this commission, evoked for me the question of ironing! Probably because I saw in the gestures associated with this activity a great « theatrical » potential. The vision of four characters ironing on stage, was a kind of starting point that I developed into a strange and humoristical ritual.
The title refers of course to Marcel Duchamp who invented the concept of Ready-Made.
These ironing boards thus become real instruments, which, towards a strong amplification, become proper for mechanical or organic gestures ; each musician trying of course to control this new environment : the drummer not being able to prevent himself from hitting, the guitarist transforming the board into a guitar with unsuspected sonorities, the pianist seeing here the ultimate opportunity of a keyboard without note, so without false note... But in this group of musicians, it seemed to me that the violinist would have a special role... In fact he already has his "board" and his "iron" and his normal bowing gestures referring directly to a kind of ironing ! Therefore, the violinist has here a special role, disturbing the others who are just trying to tame those usual surfaces…
Video : First performance, Festival Ars Musica - Brussels
Video : Concert 15/12/2018, Antwerp
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