Survivance (semence et poussière)

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Survivance (semence et poussière) is a project dedicated to exploring traces of the past and the cultivation of a dialogue with the invisible and that which is on the cusp of disappearing. With a poetic reflection on the passage of time, Survivance (semence et poussière) is an encounter with history and the ancestral knowledge related to the cultivation of flax. More particularly, the project examines certain rituals related to the harvesting of ancient crops. Inspired by the symbolism of the sheaf and the material of bronze this archive gives homage to the labour of the land. The sheaf cast in bronze further evokes the heritage of the past as well as the promise of the future: “the last sheaf, which is kept until the following year, is never burnt, because the humid fecundity of the people of Underground must never be stopped by fire.” (Free translation – Dictionnaire des symboles)

This project integrates an image found at the Regional Archives of Portneuf and was exhibited in 2015 at the Portneuf International Biennial. The installation was later acquired by the Museum of Civilisation of Québec.