Around 35 people gathered at the La Ruche building in Huntingdon on June 4 for the launch of an anthology of written work by amateur writers who participated in a series of spontaneous writing workshops led by Une Affaire de Famille and two local artists.
The innovative project, entitled “L’image nous parle, mais que nous dit-elle?” brought together around 15 people from across the region to explore new writing techniques and approaches inspired by different visual images and cues.
Guided by the inspiring works of visual artist and photographer Manon Béatrice Gauthier, the participants were mentored by professional author Edgar Malboeuf who encouraged them to write based on the impressions, emotions, and memories that were evoked by the artworks on display during each session.
Gauthier chose different images for each workshop from her collection to ensure the participants worked through different experiences. A selection of the works used during the workshops was unveiled during the book launch, where seven writers performed a reading of a short story, brief text, poem, or original piece of writing after the artwork that inspired their words was dramatically revealed by Gauthier.
The project, which was funded by the Ministère de le Culture et des Communications, enabled people from diverse backgrounds to have a meaningful artistic experience. It demonstrated that writing is a skill that belongs to everyone, while fostering new connections between the participants, boosting self-confidence, and celebrating local talent.
Eight of the 15 participants chose to publish some of their work in the project anthology, which features a collection of authentic, touching, and deeply human texts.
Gabrielle Limoges, the director of Une Affaire de Famille, congratulated each of the participants following the presentation of the images and readings. “This is an extraordinary moment!” she exclaimed, while acknowledging the emotions swirling in the room as each new writer presented their work.
“You probably saw me crying,” she said. “I saw the process you went through to write these pieces. These aren’t tears of sadness or any other negative emption. They are tears of immense pride. I am extremely proud of you,” Limoges concluded.