La Bataille D'Isigny 4 : After 3 Missions.

It's been more than four months since I was last in Isigny-Sur-Mer. This last time was my third operation in the town. It was by invitation and my hotel and travel expenses were paid for ().  The occasion was 'Le 5eme International Festival de la BD d’Isigny-sur-Mer' (BD = graphic novel).  I was given a corner of the municipal exhibition hall right next door to the town hall and Disney museum.  The invitation to exhibit, was for me, a public confirmation of the work I'd being doing over the summer in the town (the invitation was made by the president and founder of the association for the BD festival who is a writer, journalist and part owner of the building I rented... ... ...)

 

I worked out of the highstreet centre of operations 'Au Monstre D'Isigny' for 5 months.  I painted in the street.  I painted in the town market. And I painted every day behind the window of the high-street shop I'd rented for anyone to see.  I welcomed passers-by into my space, giving explanation to the pictures and the myth imperative that had me installed there.  I was able to present and discuss with anyone the themes my installation provoked and invoked. 

There is an idea 'art picture' art must stand alone and be capable of meaning without the artists presence.  That's OK, but can limit the pictures conversation to an art savvy public.  I've always wanted my pictures to reach a popular public like my family and the people I come from and live amongst.  When I present my work in person as I have done in public facing studios these last two summers I know and feel the works effect.  

My first mission In Isigny was shooting the guerrilla film 'LBDI : 'l'allumage les bittes d'amarrage'.  That was always envisaged as a kind of commando raid on the Disney megacorp planned and amplified because of the town's promoted association with Walt Disney ancestry.  

On the third afternoon filming in Isigny, shooting the movies finale I was dressed for mythic battle as myTHself Trinity.  Man-Camera-Martain and I had become familiar with neighbouring locals who'd mused at our antics on previous occasions.  90 mins in to the shoot we were stopped abruptly by order of Gendarmerie called out by a hairdresser who'd been alarmed by a scene he didn't understand from further up the highstreet. The police insisted we pack up and leave town.

Following this incident I felt I needed another different and better interaction with Isigny-Sur-Mer which had become a bigger part in my story.  

How should I 'meet' the town better?  

I began (post covid January 2022) with a formal appointment to meet the mayor and introduce myTHself.  I showed and explained my pictures and why one of my projects had become specific to his town.  In February and March I viewed potential properties for a base of operations in the town. I initially thought to return to the location of the film in the East of the town by the bridge. But then I saw a suitable property on a wide place at the Western end of the high-street opposite a church, the church of St.George, St.George who fought the dragon.  

I hadn't known the main stone towered church of the town was St. George's but St.George's symbol was already a significant part of 'myTHself Trinity' identity.  The structure for his map wings emblazoned across my back was a red cross.  The poetry of coincidence is sign to story for myTHself.