” I choose to remember, but can I choose to forget? It is from this question that the artist and choreographer Mette Edvardsen decided to create her memories and learn by heart. She has built a library of living books. The public is invited to listen to people who have memorized a book of their choice. Fragmented portrait of a chosen sound memory.
Guest in residence at Aubervilliers Laboratories, the artist Mette Edvadsen, presents the project “Time fell asleep in the afternoon sun – a library of living books”. Within the framework of workshops, she invites people to discuss sound memory and literature, to memorize books and to prepare to be read by a visitor. Since its launch in 2010, the project has already taken place in 50 libraries and the number of living books has continued to increase, now resembling more than 80 titles in French, English, Arabic, Polish, Estonian…
This episode was recorded at the Center Pompidou in September 2022, as part of the Living Literature Festival Extra!
Thanks to Mette Edvardsen and Léa Poiré for their comments, as well as to all the living books present at this event: Jude Joseph, Lihua Yu, Tiziana Penna, Simon Asencio.
► Selected books: Milan Kundera, Life is Elsewhere ; Thomas de Quincey, Confessions of an English opium eater ; Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The little Prince ; Elie Wiesel, A mad desire to dance ; Comrade LayeThe Black Child.
A place of experimentation and creation, the Aubervilliers Laboratories regularly welcome artists in residence.