It was definitely my favorite memory from this summer. I still think of it and smile to it. There were so many great places, people, and experiences on this past trip, but this one was short and intensely, almost unbelievably, happy. I want to go back, I want to experience again. I can’t believe it was only a week, maybe that’s why its so sweet and longing.
Within a week, I had two photoshoots with awesome models, found the best croissant, went rock quarry to feel how we are so tiny, found a dolmen in walking distance, and went twice alone first time in my life without my spiritual teacher, had open house party and presentation, and I visited the location of the movie I have watched more times than any other in my life.
It feels like I’ve fallen in love for the first time in ages—a sensation that makes me feel a little bashful. I fell in love with the small village, the food I shared with people, my own creations, my friends’ creations, and the way all these new experiences mixed with my past. I grew up loving French movies, and somehow I found myself unable to stop watching Betty Blue or 37°2 le matin in French. It’s not a fun movie—it’s actually quite dark—but I loved the world in it. Seriously, so many times. I could easily have watched it 100 times since I was a teenager.
So, I always like France, romanticized it but never really thought the possibilities of living there until this time.
I really wanted to try dip croissant into coffee in France, because betty was doing it. I was talking my fantasy in the kitchen, then Garth told me the movie location is not too far. Then I kept asking, can we go there….?
I know I was probably… definitely annoying! But I was also happy that, in such a short time, I had become comfortable enough to let my guard down and speak my mind—to the point where I could even be a little selfish. So, last day 4 of us went to the beach and It felt like I had gone back to being an elementary school student. Some kind of innocent joy.
It was a week and 4 people in the huge house. Owner, his girlfriend, a pianist and me. So only two are residency guests, that’s also made it so sweet. Could be opposite but this one worked amazingly.
Every morning, Garth left croissants in the kitchen for us. Garth and Afton both artists working their creation, hearing Julian’s piano everyday made the stay more french to me, and meeting Garth family and neighbors were so special too. All of it!
Kintsugi is Garth’s house, but I started to feel that the house itself is also part of his creation.
He is an artist, of course, but maybe also a kind of curator. Not just in the sense of choosing artists or showing their work, but in creating a space where people and their work can come together and become something bigger.
Each artist is already a piece of something on their own. But somehow, Garth brings those pieces together—the people, the conversations, the different kinds of work, the energy of the house—and by the time we had the open house on the last day, it felt like we had become one bigger work.
When I asked him why he chose the name Kintsugi, he said something like, “Artists are kind of broken pieces, but they can create something beautiful together.” I think what he said is pretty interesting.
I had always thought of artists as individuals, each making their own work. But maybe artists are a little broken. Haha. Maybe that is part of why we make things.
And then I realized that maybe Garth is the gold. The gold that connects the pieces, without making them less individual. The gold that makes the cracks part of the beauty. That may be one of his creations too: the space itself, and everything that happens inside it.
And here, I gave a presentation, something I’m terrible at and had only associated with tension and pressure, and it was actually fun:)
I think that’s why it still makes me smile. For one short week, I lived a little inside the space I dreamed of.
今年のレジデンシー滞在の最後に１週間いたKintsugi, Siran France、ここでの時間は本当に夢のようだった気がする。すごく濃厚な１週間で あっという間だったけど たくさんのことがあった。
着いたその日から ガースのお母さんの誕生日会に招待され、彼の家族に囲まれてのディナー、石切場っていうのか？連れてってもらって 自分たちがなんて小さいんだろうって感動する。なんと 歩いて行ける範囲にドルメンがあって ２回生まれて初めて自分一人で聖地体験。ものすごい美味しいクロワッサンに出会い、作品作りの撮影に二人のモデルがヘルプしてくれ、ファーマーズマーケットに行き、プレゼンテーションをし、一番人生で見ただろう、という映画の舞台のビーチにも行った。 もう胸いっぱい、お腹いっぱい、な１週間！本当に楽しかった〜
レジデンシーに来たアーティストは私とピアニストのジュリアンだけで あとオーナーのガースと彼の彼女のアフトンという少人数。それも良かった。合わない人だったら最悪だったけど この４人は最高だった。毎日 起きてキッチンに行くと ガースが近所で買ってくれたクロワッサンが置いてある。カップルの二人は作業をしていて ジュリアンのピアノの音が流れてきて それが更にフランスにいる〜って気分を盛り上げてくれてた感じ。その日は何しよう、とコンピューターに向かうけど 実際コンピューター仕事はあんまり捗らなかったな 苦笑 でも アイデアが出やすく どこを撮っても絵になるシレンのビレッジ、創作意欲は出た。
ある日キッチンで クロワッサンをコーヒーに付けて食べる、をフランスでしたかった！！！一番好きな映画の主人公がしてたから〜 とみんなに話してて そしたら ガースとアフトンが その映画の舞台、近所だよ、というので え？まじ？？と 行きたーい！行きたーい！と何度もガースに言って 最終日に連れてってもらった 笑 この映画、betty blue かフランス語で 37°2 le matin、 もうなんでか？取り憑かれたように何度も見た映画で 多分１００回以上は観てる。
映画のロケ地は なんとなーく面影があるような ないような。。。 って感じだったけど でもとにかく幸せだった。もうなんだろ、この映画に恋焦がれたように このビレッジ、時間に恋した感じ。子供に戻ったような なんだか無邪気な喜びを感じた時間だった。
Kintsugiって日本語のきんつぎから来てる。日本が好きなオーナーなのかな？とか思いながらやってきて きんつぎにした意味は？ってガースに聞いたら アーティスト、一人一人は壊れたカケラみたいでも 一緒に何かすることによって美しいものができる、そんな場にしたかった、そんなことを言ってて ああ、ガースって金 の役割なんだなぁって思った。この創作意欲が出る環境を作ってくれ、多分 自分の家にこんだけ人が出入りしたら 疲れることもあるだろうけど なんかこの人はシンプルに人とのつながりを楽しんでいる。ワイン片手に人とだべる、それが生活の一部のようだなって思った。その彼が人と人をつなぎ、アートを見せて楽しむ環境を作っている。
今まで数回だけだけど した 大の苦手な自分のアートのプレゼンテーション、ここでしたのが一番よくできた！（と思う！）
この時間が今でも胸を躍らせるのは 私が夢みた空間を少し生きた時間だったからなのかもしれない。
