At the invitation of the independent Parisian record store “Le Souffle Continu”, Alexandre Castant and Philippe Franck, authors of the essay “Correspondances dans le labyrinthe des sons” (Editions La Lettre volée, Brussels, 2024) are invited to a meeting/discussion presented and moderated by curator Fabienne Grasser-Fulchéri.
Various issues of sound arts will be addressed mainly through the experience of the international traveling sound arts festival City Sonic launched by Transcultures in 2003 in Belgium under the direction of Philippe Franck. The latter also offers a sound art mix based on pieces presented in different editions of City Sonic.
Correspondances dans le labyrinthe des sons
This collection of critical texts (2005–2022) on sound arts serves as a correspondence—both literal and figurative—between art critic/essayist/writer Alexandre Castant and artistic curator/sound creator/essayist Philippe Franck. It recounts artistic, curatorial, critical, and literary projects as well as collaborative exchanges developed over time.
The texts trace journeys and active listening experiences in dialogue with contemporary works and artists whose common denominator is sound as a material shaped in space, as well as through images, networks, and diverse forms.
The primary exploratory field is the City Sonic International Sound Arts Festival, created in 2003 by Transcultures under the artistic direction of Philippe Franck, which Alexandre Castant has followed and commented on since its inception. The installations, performances, and site-specific devices that transform the hosting city during City Sonic reveal an art of adventurous encounters and fruitful correspondences (between sound creation and visual, poetic, radiophonic, digital, environmental, and architectural dimensions).
More broadly, Correspondences in the Labyrinth of Sounds offers an open and hybrid vision of contemporary sound arts, embracing their wide range of practices and aesthetics. This selection of texts, spanning nearly two decades of shared critical listening, highlights the diversity (including its labyrinthine structure: from lectures to interviews, reviews, and reports) of these vibrant sonic constellations.
The purchase of this book also provides access to a compilation of previously unreleased sound pieces by international artists presented at the City Sonic Festival.
- Alexandre Castant et Philippe Franck,
- Correspondances dans le labyrinthe des sons,
- La Lettre Volée Ed., coll. « Essais », Bruxelles, 2024,
- 244 pages, 120 color and black and white ill..
- ISBN 978-2-87317-631-0
- lien d’achat sur bandcamp – lettrevolee.com
Alexandre Castant (Fr)
A doctor of aesthetics (Université Paris 1 - Panthéon Sorbonne), Alexandre Castant is a professor at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Art de Bourges, where he leads the seminar *L’Atelier sonore d’esthétique*.
An essayist and art critic, he has published works on literature and visual arts (*Esthétique de l’image, fictions de Mandiargues*, 2001), photography and contemporary imagery (*La Photographie dans l’œil des passages*, 2004; *Écrans de neige*, 2014), sound creation and visual arts (*Planètes sonores*, 2007; *Journal audiobiographique*, 2016; *Les Arts sonores*, 2017; *Les Cahiers du son*, collective, 2023), and the imaginary (*ImagoDrome, des images mentales dans l’art contemporain*, collective, 2010).
As a writer, he is the author of a short story collection (*Mort d’Athanase Shurail*, 2019), a novel (*La Nuit sentimentale*, 2023), and an opera libretto based on Voltaire's *Micromégas* (Ars Musica, 2023).
Philippe Franck (Fr/Be)
Under the name Paradise Now, Philippe Franck has been developing, since the early 1990s, a multifaceted artistic journey in a forward-looking and willingly collaborative approach. He has produced numerous choreographic music, exhibitions, performances interdisciplinary, videos (notably for Régis Cotentin, Hanzel & Gretzel and Thomas Israel), multimedia devices (with digital artists, Philippe Boisnard, Marc Veyrat, art2network).
In addition to its collaborations with the holistic performer Isa*Belle (several installations and body/sound performances since 2005), Paradise Now also works with musicians electronics Christophe Bailleau (the duo Pastoral), Gauthier Keyaerts (within Supernova), Stephan Dunkelman, Christian Leroy, Didié Nietzsche, the vocalist/performer Maja Jantar as well as several poets (including Ira Cohen, Gerard Malanga, Werner Moron, Eric Therer, Catrine Godin, Habiba Sheikh…).
His recording productions can be found notably on the Transonic, Optical Sound and Sub Rosa labels
Fabienne Grasser-Fulchéri (Fr)
Fabienne Grasser-Fulchéri is a curator and art critic. Since 2010, she has been the director of the Espace de l’Art Concret, a national contemporary art center in Mouans-Sartoux (French riviera).
She served as assistant curator for the Printemps de Septembre in Toulouse, managed the programming of Sala Montcada at the La Caixa Foundation in Barcelona, worked on various projects for the Pavillon, the creation laboratory of the Palais de Tokyo, and oversaw the Satellite Program at the Jeu de Paume in Paris.
In addition, she has designed and organized numerous exhibitions, including La Confusion des Sens in 2009 and Anicroches in 2011 for the Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton in Paris.
Souffle Continu
Founded by Bernard Ducayron and Théo Jarrier, Souffle Continu has earned a reputation as one of the best record stores in Paris. More than just a record shop, it is a haven for music enthusiasts of all kinds. The establishment stands out for its eclectic approach, highlighting lesser-explored musical niches, making it a reference point for fans of alternative and marginal music. The store is renowned for its commitment to discovering and preserving rare or little-known music, offering a sonic journey through genres such as jazz, indie rock, black metal, drone, minimal wave, industrial, and hardcore.
Souffle Continu boasts a vast selection of vinyl records, CDs, books, magazines, and DVDs. Their collection includes new releases and reissues, covering a wide range of musical styles. In addition to retail, the store regularly hosts showcases and listening sessions with renowned musicians such as Archie Shepp or Aquaserge, making the shopping experience interactive and enriching. These events are often free and open to the public, creating a space for connection and sharing around music.
Souffle Continu Records, their in-house label, has been dedicated to reissuing “hidden treasures” of French underground music since 2014. They focus on uncovering forgotten or previously unpublished tracks, contributing to the documentation and appreciation of the alternative music scene.
Souffle Continu maintains close ties with a community of music lovers, sharing updates on new releases, upcoming events, and musical discoveries. The shop also fosters interaction through comments and discussions on their website, strengthening their connection with customers.
Souffle Continu is an institution for those seeking to explore the fringes of music. With its passionate approach and support for musical culture, it remains a bastion for fans of alternative sounds and unique auditory experiences.
Infos
- 06.02.2025 | 18.30
- Souffle Continu
- 22 Rue Gerbier, 75011 Paris, France
- Free entrance
- soufflecontinu.com
Production
- Transcultures, European Pepinieres of Creation
- In partnership with Souffle Continu
