Revoir Un Printemps occurred in 2014 when I was invited by the curator Caroline Hancock to realise an exhibition as part of the 6th edition of Printemps de l’Art Contemporain in Marseille. The Exhibition took place at a Galerie du 5ème which is part of the department store Galeries Lafayette.

Marseille has undergone an enormous state-supported regeneration process. The project was called Euroméditerranée and began in 1995 under the stewardship of the then Mayor of Marseille Robert Vigouroux. The ongoing project involved the development of a business district. This area is clearly distinguished by the one hundred and forty-seven-meter-tall CMA CGM headquarters tower designed by Zaha Hadid. The development of cultural tourism included the building or relocation of Museums and cultural institutions such as The Museum of the Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean (MuCEM). The building of boulevards, the development of the old port which now is filled with lavish sailing vessels and is the location for L’Ombrière de Norman Foster (Norman Fosters Shadow) a forty-six by twenty-two meter reflective metal canopy designed by the British architect.

As with most gentrification projects it came at a cost. The one time predominantly North African market areas have been replaced by shopping districts that host a series of multinational retail chains and French department stores such as Galeries Lafayette where my exhibition took place. The Old Port area had at one time been home to a diverse range of working class North African and Middle eastern communities. These communities have been dispersed to housing projects on the outskirts of the city in areas such as D’Air Belle on the east end of Marseille which houses between six to seven thousand people in twelve hundred high rise housing units. These areas are lacking in broader social infrastructural support, there is a prevalence of crime and poverty that is indicative of the state supported economic disparity that the gentrification process enabled.

After an initial site visit, I tried to develop art making mechanisms that could act as a form of social responsiveness, that could poetically articulate an awareness of a number of Marseilles social realities. I began researching cultural elements that are specific to Marseille and the North African and Middle eastern communities that were displaced from the docks area. I wanted to find a mechanism to enable an inter-reliance between this social context and my artists responses. One of the prominent pre-existing cultural mechanisms I found in the area was Hip Hop. French Hip Hop was also part of a pre-existing body of research that was implicated in and informed Revoir Un Printemp. This body of research begun with an earlier exhibition I curated entitled A Generous Act which took place in 2010 as part of a curatorial residence I undertook at the Mattress Factory Art museum in Pittsburgh PA. One of the elements of the research for this exhibition involved my engaging with the history of Jazz music in Pittsburgh and the rise and fall of the Hill District in Pittsburgh, which was once a predominantly Black neighbourhood and the location of many important Jazz venues. As part of this research I became aware of a book by Ursula Broschke Davis called Paris without Regret: that looked at the decision by four African American Artists to move from the USA to Paris in the 1950’s and I960’s. These artists were the writers James Baldwin and Chester Himes and the musicians Donald Byrd and Kenny Clarke. Josephine Baker and Langston Hughes also lived in Paris. This coincided with an interest in French Hip hop initially with artists such as MC Solar, Rohff, Doc Gynéco, Booba and latterly IAM who’s work was the subject of this exhibition. The subjects and social situations these black French rappers were implicating in their songs did not reflect the welcome that was afforded to African Americans in France. This realisation was part of my motivation to engage with Marseille as a context in this way.

Hip Hop from Marseille articulates specific elements in the city’s cultural makeup and also speaks more broadly about France’s colonial legacy and its relationship with African American music and the proliferation of Hip hop as an art form. I decided to respond to a song entitled Revoir Un Printemps. (Seeing Spring Again) by Marseille Hip Hop act IAM, formed in 1989. IAM is made up of five members whom each have pseudonyms, Philippe Fragione (Akhenaton), Geoffroy Mussard (Shurik’n), Eric Mazel (Khéops) Pascal Perez (Imhotep),  François Mendy (Kephren).

So why hip hop here? The exhibition engages with a cultural entity that had a cultural resonance with the communities I was trying to address but also highlights the richness of Hip Hop as a cultural form and conceptual vehicle. Hip hop is a particularly fluid art form hat negates formalism:

[… ]where Formalism is recognised as an analysis of culture and art that refuses to consider anything outside the work or movement at hand, including historical, socio-political or economic realities. 1( Chang, Jeff https://www.thenation.com/article/hip-hop-chaos-context/  Accessed March 15, 2007. )

Polyculturalism was engaged as a device specifically because it functions in diametric opposition to gentrification which generally is not concerned with integration or diversity. Robin Kelley calls it a modern form of subtle colonialism. This specific regeneration enabled in Marseille is closely aligned to what Cedric Robinson calls Racial Capitalism( Robinson, Cedric J. Black Marxism. University of North Carolina Press. 1983. p 17 )which involves the enforcing of precarity through population transfer, and the heterogeneity of social profiles at infra-municipal level. (Clerval, Anne. Paris Sans Le Peuple. La gentrification de la capital. La Decouverte,2013. p 89 ) 

The second element addressed also relates to race and paradox. Hip Hop is an African-American art form and the exhibition also explored France’s paradoxical embracing of African-Americans and in particular African-American Culture Makers while marginalising their own immigrant communities, a by-product of France’s colonial legacy. France has in one way or another embraced African-Americans since the 1800s. It is estimated that 50,000 free blacks emigrated to Paris from Louisiana beginning in 1803 when Napoleon sold the swathe of land to the Americans. The next influx of African Americans occurred during the First World War when segregated African-American regiments were stationed in France and fought alongside French troops, many of whom stayed in France after the war. The French also embraced jazz and Paris became recognised alongside New Orleans and Washington DC as a key intellectual and cultural centre of the Jazz age. African-American artists continued to emigrate to Paris throughout the last century.

I chose the song Revoir Un Printemps to respond to, because it uses the transitioning seasons as a tool to speak about change, strength and continuum. It is nostalgic without sentimentalism and I felt had an analogous relationship to the social situation I was referencing.

Revoir Un Printemps

Comme quoi la vie finalement nous a tous embarqués

J’en place une pour les bouts d’choux, fraîchement débarqués

À croire que jusqu’à présent, en hiver on vivait

Vu qu’c’est l’printemps, à chaque fois qu’leurs sourires apparaissent

J’revois le mien en extase, premier jouet téléguidé

Déguisé en cosmonaute, souhait presque réalisé, instant sacralisé

Trésor de mon cœur jamais épuisé, pour mon âme apaisante, Alizée

Revoir le rayon d’lumière, transpercer les nuages

Après la pluie, la chaleur étouffante assécher la tuile

Revoir encore une fois, l’croissant lunaire embraser la nuit

Embrasser mes anges, quand l’soleil s’noie, faire du sommeil une terre vierge Converser dehors sous les cierges

Revoir son sourire au lever quand j’émerge

Sur au-delà des turpitudes, des dures habitudes de l’hiver

Peut-être mon enveloppe de môme, abrite un cœur d’Gulliver

Revoir les trésors naturels de l’univers, douce ballerine

L’hirondelle fonde son nid dans mes songes, sublime galerie

À ciel ouvert, les djouns rampent à couvert, nous à l’air libre

Mais les pierres horribles, cachent souvent des gemmes superbes sous le couvercle Revoir la terre s’ouvrir, dévoiler la mer

Solitaire dans la chambre, sous la lumière qu’les volets lacèrent

Impatient de l’attendre, c’printemps en décembre

En laissant ces mots dans les cendres, de ces années amères

Comme quoi la vie finalement nous a tous embarqués

J’en place une pour les bouts d’choux, fraîchement débarqués

À croire que jusqu’à présent, en hiver on vivait

Vu qu’c’est l’printemps, à chaque fois qu’leurs sourires apparaissent

J’revois le mien en extase, premier jouet téléguidé

Déguisé en cosmonaute, souhait presque réalisé, instant sacralisé

Trésor de mon cœur jamais épuisé, pour mon âme apaisante, Alizée

La patience est un arbre, dont la racine est amère et l’fruit doux

J’aimerais revoir mes premiers pas, mes premiers rendez vous

Quand j’pensais, qu’la vie, pouvait rien nous offrir, à part des sous Maintenant j’sais qu’ça s’résume pas à ça, et qu’c’est un tout

L’tout est d’savoir, voir, penser, avancer, foncer

On sait qu’le temps, dans c’monde n’est pas notre allié

J’aimerais revoir, l’instant unique, qu’a fait d’moi un père, un homme, un mari On m’aurait dit ça avant, j’aurais pas tenu l’pari

Normal dans mon cœur, y avait la tempête, les pression et l’orage

Et pas beaucoup d’monde qui pouvait supporter cette rage

J’aimerais revoir, ces pages, où on apprenait la vie, sans dérapage

L’partage d’l’évolution, à qui j’rends hommage, loin des typhons

J’aimerais revoir, l’premier sourire, d’mon fiston, mon cœur

Depuis c’jour là, j’me sens fier, c’beau gosse, c’est ma grandeur

Un printemps éternel, une source intarissable, plein d’couleurs

C’est l’jardin d’Eden, qui m’protège d’mes douleurs

Revoir l’époque où y avait qu’des pelés sur le goudron s’arrachant

Autant d’printemps répondant à l’appel d’un air innocent

Moins pressé d’aller à l’école pour les cours qu’pour les potes s’y trouvant Revoir les parties d’bille sous l’préau se faisant avec acharnement

Tendre moment, jalousement gardé comme tous

Avènement d’une jeune pousse que l’on couvre d’amour

Pour que rien n’salisse mille fleurs jaillissent

Dès qu’son sourire m’éclabousse ça m’électrise

Cette racine va devenir chêne massif, sève de métisse annonçant le renouveau Le retour d’mes printemps à travers les siens et construire les siens

Pour qu’un jour, il puisse les revivre à son tour

Comme volant à mon secours ces graines fleurissent dans ma tête

Quand la grisaille persiste mur d’images refoulant mes tempêtes

Voir un printemps superbe à nouveau fleurir

Comme quoi la vie finalement nous a tous embarqués

J’en place une pour les bouts d’choux, fraîchement débarqués

À croire que jusqu’à présent, en hiver on vivait

Vu qu’c’est l’printemps, à chaque fois qu’leurs sourires apparaissent J’revois le mien en extase, premier jouet téléguidé

Déguisé en cosmonaute, souhait presque réalisé, instant sacralisé

Trésor de mon cœur jamais épuisé, pour mon âme apaisante, Alizée

Revoir Un Printemps (Seeing Spring Again)

Like what life finally took us all,

I put one for the cabbage tips, freshly landed

To believe that until now, in winter we lived

Since it’s spring, every time their smiles appear

I see mine in ecstasy, first remote control toy

Disguised as cosmonaut, almost realized wish, sacred moment

Treasure of my heart never exhausted, for my soothing soul, Alizée.

Revisit the ray of light, pierce the clouds,

After the rain, the sweltering heat drying the tile

To see again, the crescent lunar ignite the night

Embrace my angels, when the sun goes down

To make sleep a virgin land, to converse out under the

Candles, see her smile again when I emerge, on

Beyond turpitudes, harsh habits of winter

Maybe my kid’s envelope houses a Gulliver heart

Revisit the natural treasures of the universe, sweet ballerina

The swallow nest its nest in my dreams, sublime gallery

In the open air, jouns crawl under cover, we in the open air

But the horrible stones, often hide beautiful gems

Under the lid

To see the earth open again, to unveil the sea

Lonely in the bedroom, under the light that the shutters lacerated

Looking forward to waiting for him, see spring in December, leaving

These words in the ashes, of those bitter years

Patience is a tree, the root is bitter and the fruit sweet

I would like to review my first steps, my first dates

When I thought, that life, could offer us anything, except for

Now I know it does not crumble at that, and that is a whole,

It’s all about knowing, seeing, thinking, moving forward

We know that time in the world is not our ally

I would like to see again, the unique moment, that made me a father

A man, a husband, I would have been told that before, I would not have you bet Normal in my heart, why was the storm, the pressure and the storm

And not many people who could stand this rage

I’d like to see again, these pages, where we learned about life, without skidding

The sharing of evolution, to whom I pay tribute, far from typhoons I would like to see again, the first smile, of my son, my heart Then see’jour there, I feel proud, see’beau kid, see is my size An eternal spring, an inexhaustible source, full of colors

it is the Garden of Eden, which protects me from my sorrows,

Revisit the time when why had peeled on tarring tar

So much of spring answering the call of an innocent air

Less eager to go to school for classes than for friends

Wishing to see the parts of ball under the yard being fiercely Tender jealously guarded moment like all

Advent of a young sprout covered with love? ..

So that nothing spoils a thousand flowers well

As soon as his smile splashes me it electrifies me this

Root will become solid oak mixed-race sap

Announcing the renewal the return of my spring

Through his own and build his own for one day

He can revive them in turn

As flying to my rescue these seeds are blooming

In my head when the grisaille

Persist wall of images repressing my storms

See a beautiful spring again bloom

This exhibition acted as a kind of a portrait of this song. That was played out over three rooms in an installation format. Each element referencing the song or the sentiment of the song.

One element involved the deconstruction and reinterpretation of the beat structures, samples, voice and lyrical content of this song. I employed a specific methodology to visually interpret and articulate this music. This methodology was developed as part of a project entitled After Mahler. After Mahler began as a body of research undertaken in 2011 as part of a residency at Gertrude Contemporary in Melbourne, Australia. Focusing on the impact of classical music in popular culture. With a specific emphasis on the work of Gustav Mahler. This project evolved to become a series of graphic scores/interpretations of Das Lied von der Erde (“The Song of the Earth”) Mahler’s interpretation of an anonymous Chinese poem. These Graphic notations were further re-interpreted live by myself and New York based musicians Ted Riederer and Simon Jermyn as part of an exhibition entitled “All Humans do” that took place at White Box, New York in January 2012. These interpretations were recorded live, cut to vinyl and made available to listen to for the duration of the exhibition. For Revoir Un Printemps the elements that made up much of the installation acted as a form of graphic notation made from threads and silk ribbons which were arranged as wall based assemblages.

Forms of this pictorial methodology were present in each room. (Figure 14)

“Another time”, this piece was a hand carved flower from Japanese Basswood that was suspended from the ceiling of the gallery. (figure 15 )

“Here again”: This exhibition also incorporated a playable musical composition, where a section of the song was transferred onto playable punched paper which was played on a componium. (figure 16)

“Some Stories Persist”: I made an intervention that involved my pinning a section of player piano roll onto a wall. This printed content consisted of African American plantation songs such as But is it so by Scott Gatty.

Rise and Shine world: The exhibition also included a constructed garden piece entitled Rise and Shine world, I collected soil, wild flowers and weeds from the rubble surrounding housing estates in the D’Air Belle region of Marseille where much of its displaced communities had been housed and took this soil and plants and built a garden within the gallery. (Figure 17)