RÉSIDENCE PASSAGES
Avec Eve Nnaji (Marseille)
&
Manon Garcia Del Barrio (Lagos)
20 octobre - 20 décembre 2022
L'appel à candidatures de notre programme de résidences croisées Passages, à destination des créateurs des domaines de la mode, des métiers d'art, du design et de l'architecture s'est clôturé.
Au total, nous avons reçu 52 candidatures pour cette première édition.
Eve Nnaji, Designer/Architecte, et Manon Garcia Del Barrio, Designer textile, sont les lauréates de ce programme.
Eve Nnaji est une architecte designer ayant grandi à Houston, au Texas. Elle exerce actuellement son métier à Lagos dans son pays d’origine, le Nigéria.
Le Nigéria étant affecté par d’importantes inondations, amenées à devenir plus nombreuses encore en raison du dérèglement climatique, Eve cherche à « apporter de mauvaises nouvelles par de bons objets ». Durant sa résidence, elle s’attache à créer des objets dans le domaine de la mode et du mobilier permettant de vivre au quotidien en période d’inondation.
"I believe this program will give me the access to the resources and materials pertinent to prototype, create, and display the final products. What does a flood-ready future look like?"
Fort d'Entrecasteaux, Marseille
Manon Garcia Del Barrio, designer textile, a été formée aux métiers du design, tu tissage et du marketing à la Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin, puis à l'Université d'Aix-Marseille.
Pour sa résidence à Lagos, la designer textile a imaginé une voile navigable s'imprégnant de l'identité de Lagos pour créer un passage entre la ville et la nature.
Elle utilise dans son tissage la jacinthe d'eau, plante invasive au Nigeria.
"Passages tissés" est un voyage poétique imaginé entre Lagos et Marseille.
Cette voile de bateau tissée et teinte, utilise des matériaux de récupération comme la jacinthe d'eau, plante invasive du lagon et les sacs de riz, utilisés pour créer des voiles par les pêcheurs locaux. Je voulais que mon tissage utilise ces matériaux qui ont du sens avec le lieu et qui portent un message positif vers la nature et sa préservation. Le Nigéria regorge d'artisanat textile comme le Aso Oke, le Bâtik, l'Adire...
Cette voile est un étendard qui souhaite mettre en valeur les savoir-faire textile du Nigéria et de la France de façon contemporaine et poétique.
"Ma première voile tissée pour le musée d'Histoire de Marseille m'a donné envie de renouveler l'expérience, cette fois-ci, non pas sous le prisme de l'antiquité, mais en mettant à l'honneur le tissage de Lagos."
Alliance Française, Lagos
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Eve Nnaji et Manon Garcia Del Barrio ont été invitées à établir une correspondance pendant toute la durée de leur résidence, à raison d'une lettre par semaine.
Bonjour Manon,
I've arrived in Marseille! First impression of the city, it must be pretty dope to call this place home. It's absolutely beautiful as you said, no false advertisement there.
The first weekend was really nice, I pretty much just wandered around Longchamp since it's close to my place at Juxtapose. I kept missing lunch times, but that's okay, I finally got the hang of the schedule.
On Monday we did a cool little tour of Fort Saint-Nicolas, Entrecasteaux as it's called, so I got to meet the team and Actavista, the guys restoring the site. It was definitely a lot to take in, but overwhelmingly amazing. I'll attach a lame selfie :)
I'm in the beginning stages of the project, so at first I've locked myself in my workspace to gather my thoughts and now I'm moving all around the castle sketching ideas with views of the harbor, boats, water, and people moving in all directions. I think something really nice is conjuring; I'm just eager to get my hands on some materials so I can start prototyping because time is flying!
I'm learning a bit of French, un peu. Maybe by the time I leave, I will speak fluently in française.
Tell me tout,
Eve
Dear Eve,
I hope you enjoy my lovely Marseille.
By my side the week was complicated with a lot of pressure on the project.
I don't have a weaver yet, so I need to find him and it's not an easy way... I don't have so much time...
I made very inspiring people like Mitimeth who's weaving water hyacinth. This invasive plant suffocates the lagoon and damages boats. This is a waste that Mitimeth values and I find the approach very interesting. I really wanted to use this material because it makes sense in my story.
I have also been to Balogun, the fabric market, and it was very inspiring, there are textiles everywhere you look, it's crazy !
Lagos isn't a beautiful and peaceful city, but people are exceptionally kind and welcoming. I am impressed because all designers here have several businesses while in France we are afraid to launch a single one.
Have a lovely weekend
Kindly regards
Manon
Dear Manon,
That's Lagos! It's like a shot of spice rum; aggressive at first and then warm on the inside. It looks like you've met some beautiful people. I'm glad you got to see Balogun market; its an essential part of Lagos.
As for me, I'm getting to know the flow of Marseille much better, and also meeting some really interesting people. I've gotten to see a quaint and lovely tailor's workshop, an independent fashion school, La Reserve Des Arts (so amazing!), a boat owner, and some boat makers. I visited Le Chanteirs Naval Borg, an interesting workshop right on the water and we spent some time debating my design and throwing a few jokes around; it was definitely the most interesting visit.
I'm now working on some prototypes and trying to see who will help me build the weird things I've designed. I've been prototyping flotation objects and piecing textiles together to see what comes of it. Time is not our friend, but I'm just trying to enjoy every second of it and learn what I can from the people and the environment.
By the way, communicating has been mostly using sign language with some help from a paper and pencil. Everyone speaks French! And when they speak English, they are very tired of speaking English. I wish I could say I've been practicing French, but I've mostly been running around and crashing at the end of the day.
Let's see what floats,
Eve
Pẹlẹ o Eve !
(My weaver is Yoruba so I'm learning a bit)
I am really happy to read your met Denis Borg is one of my best inspirations : the person is wonderful and the place is magic !
By my side, my week was really focused on the weaving part. We are working everyday with Ibrahim, the local weaver, to make the 5 bundles of 90' long and 20' length. It's a real exchange between us. I've got my design ideas and he is also proposing technical solutions to make my ideas real, or other pattern. We are a good team.
The mix of the water jasinth and the plastic is relevant.
I am also preparing the dyeing part, the sewing and the set on the boat. It will be my challenges for next weeks.
I made a tour guid with Plan B, and it was interesting to discover Lagos architecture. I love the Freedom Park and the story of the place.
I hope everything is doing well for you this week.
Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards.
Manon Garcia del Barrio
