performance, 6’, 13.05.2011 Plug in, contemporary art site abbaye Maubuisson, Saint ouen l’aumône

Violaine translated two cistercian chants into monastic sign language. In fact, in Cistercian abbeys like that at Maubuisson, the nuns respecting their vows of silence would communicate only in signs. This language was this reserved for everyday trivial tasks. Cistercian chants on the other hand were in Latin, the liturgical language. The translation creates therefore an impossible fusion, and also asks the question: how does one sing without a voice? The composition and learning of an (imaginary) monastic sign-language was an integral part of this work which ultimately led to a performance.