As French painter-illustrator Fred Theys projects a universe populated by Zazous (miniature human characters), stars, birds and a crescent moon on to the mounted screen, the spatial limits of the framed image and the unfettered flight of imagination in the minds of audience make for a delightful contrast.
Theys, who moved from his hometown of Brittany in northwest France to settle down in Reunion Island almost 16 years ago, brought his Zazou characters and their messages for humanity to the city last week for the “Draw me a music…” an interactive show hosted by Alliance Francaise.
On why the Zazous always are portrayed looking away from the audience, Mr. Theys had this to say: “When I place them looking at the vast expanse, the audience too gets that unbounded perspective to set free their imagination.”
Intersecting music and art, Mr. Theys would weave different narratives on sheets, the city band Temple Rock Trio featuring Krishna Kumar (vocals) Matt Littlewood (sax) and Shanks (guitars) essayed jazzed up versions of Carnatic compositions such as Vatapi or the Vakratunda Mahakaya invocation.
“We inspire each other over the course of the show,” said Mr. Theys of his collaboration with the musicians.
He believes that moments of improvisation must be part of the musical and drawing show, to promote the creation in situ and allow co-creation through the imagination of the illustrator, the performance of the musicians and the participation of the public.
Since 2010, Mr. Theys has been drawing live on stage, in theatres, media libraries, at festivals or at a bend on the street. A camera films his hand and transmits the image on the big screen in real time.
Freedom and love
Freedom and universal love form the underlying theme of the artist’s acrylic and Chinese ink works — sometimes he dabs away with bare fingers as well in the black-and-white medium of storytelling. The representation of a human chain, carried over from one frame to the next, suggesting unbroken continuity best illustrated these values.
And, as a resident of Reunion Island with a significant Franco-Tamil demographic, he is only all too familiar with Hindu mythology and one of the drawings suggested by a member of the audience — the show had the audience come up with ideas which Mr. Theys would give shape to — was a depiction of Siva-Parvathy in the mythological moment where Ganga streams out from Siva’s matted locks.
A distinctive feature of his collaborative shows has been the interactive vibes with the audience and the blending-in of other forms of art such as live music, dance, theatre or narrator. The graphic universe he lays out becomes an invitation for the audience to express ideas; from this artist-audience interaction emerges the collective imagination of a place, a culture.
Picking up one of the themes proposed by the audience, “Let’s dream...” Fred Theys draws a first image of a Zazou and slowly builds a microcosm of life around the miniature figure. Each phase of drawing is accompanied by a recorded music or a live music set, the audience absorbed in the creation brush stroke by brush stroke.
The Fred Theys shows have travelled across France and abroad (Mauritius, Madagascar, Mayotte, Iceland, Japan and Tanzania). He conceived Zazous as small characters existing in symbiosis with the imaginary landscape they occupy. Their mere presence draws the viewers into this landscape and opens a new perspective on the world. The Zazous do not destroy anything; they live in harmony with the environment and raise awareness of our own relationship with nature.
The Zazous have enlivened books, galleries and museums, concerts and streets.
Mr. Theys has illustrated five youth albums, including ‘Ali from Zanzibar’ which won the 2009 Ouessant Island Book Youth Award.
‘Draw me a music” was presented as part of an ongoing collaboration between Reunionese and Indian artists.
“Going forward, the collaboration could feature shows across the Alliance Française network in India,” said Yohann Guérin, Cultural Coordinator at Alliance Francaise.
