La Vigie

In the beginning of 2012 Michaël Vandebril released his first poetry collection.
A collection in both (main)  languages of our country; Dutch and French.

Het vertrek van Maeterlinck / L'éxil de Maeterlinck (De Bezige Bij Antwerpen, 2012)

A first video for a Dutch version of the poem 'Het vertrek van Maeterlinck' was released with the introduction of the book.
A well received book, because it won 'Best Debut' earlier this year at 'The Herman De Coninck Poetry Prizes'.

To celebrate that and because it's international poetry day another video was made.

LA VIGIE

ça ne mène à rien les pieds envahis par les herbes rêches

                                                                                  nous montons les marches

ici dans cette maison sur la colline nous recevons chaque soir

                                                                                  nos hôtes d’été nous attendons

nus sur le balcon notre sexe sec et grand ouvert comme le bec

                                                                                  d’un oiseau

le chemin est lent et chaud sur la crête des dunes grêlées de saletés

                                                                                  et d’excréments

ça ne mène à rien je te le donne en trois chéri il pleut des marées

                                                                                  dans ce chenal

au loin les poissons cuisent dans l’eau sombre nous déployons

                                                                                  nos ailes prêts

à t’éfaufiler sous ce ciel clair il est impossible de répondre

                                                                                  au feu

mais viens et allonge-toi dans mes chambres vides avec vue

                                                                                  sur la mer humaine

French singer/Painter/artist Marie-Laure Beraud did a strong performance on the reading and made the poem jump from the page.
I've put her reading to a re-edit of a track I made a year ago for a live performance of Michaël.

The track features a treated sample of 'Bell Toll' by Kathy McTavish (Cellodreams)

The images for this video were picked for the same performance. A re-edited and treated version of Lutz Mommartz' video 'weg zum nachbarn'(1968)
I added layers of lights and strams of colour.

Anyways have a look and listen for yourself;



words: Michaël Vandebril
translation: Jan H. Mysjkin & Pierre Gallissaires
voice: Marie-Laure Béraud
music: Swoon & Kathy McTavish (treated samples of her 'Bells Toll')
concept, camera & editing: Swoon
footage: 'weg zum nachbarn' (Lutz Mommartz, 1968)