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"The other: enemy or friend" Gezoncourt Nov. 12, 2010
Community Hall where the mural was exhibited. There was already that day, Nov. 12th, a Friday suspense in the air. The opening was planned for the evening and expected was that the entire community would turn up.
Nino, younger son of Alexandra and Silva, returning for lunch from school. The bus stop is just beside the community hall.
Alexandra waiting for her son while holding in her arms a child of a neighbor. Interesting how the parents and children take care of each other and especially the older children of the younger ones.
Scenery of Gezoncourt - view of farm houses and wide open fields
A neighbor build this wall by himself and included this detail
Silva points out the neighbor build the wall so high that passer-bys can lean on it and have a chat with the neighbor, hence he indicates the height of the wall as being appropriate for such a purpose, namely to encourage a friendly chat over the wall. Behind it the neighbor has created a rich garden.
Alexandra took us for a walk in the rain
She showed us her paradise where she learned to swim as a small child. Now eco artists have created this wooden tower with water wheels as a special kind of sculpture.
In the meantime while we, Bernard Conlon and Hatto Fischer went on a walk with Alexandra Silva was doing the last minute preparations inside the hall. Here he put tape over the cables so that no one and especially the children would stumble over them. A small but important safety precaution.
The mural was covered up for the opening to be a complete surprise.
Nino with other children in the background prior to the official opening.
Pumpkin on the decorated talbe for the official opening
Everyone pitched in to have this decorated table
Children waiting for the opening to begin
The children who were involved in painting the mural lining up
Alexandra Zanne made the opening speech to thank all who had given their support
Alexandra Zanne then handed over the microphone to Bernard Conlon
Bernard Conlon holding his first public speech in French and this with good Irish humour
Nino reading Bernard Conlon's poem in French. It had been translated by Monique Kissel already into French for the Kids' Guernica exhibition in Vincennes, Paris which opened on 11th of October 2010 and which showed besides the mural of the students as well the Belfast mural called 'Optimism of Colours'.
Poème de Bernard Conlon
Comme dans une odyssée magique
Partie du Japon en passant par Athènes
Une toile blanche est arrivée à Belfast,
Et là, le blanc devint
Couleur d’optimisme
Conférant à de simples enfants
Des pouvoirs herculéens.
J’ai battu la campagne cherchant
Un professeur solitaire et chevronné
Qui amènerait un groupe de filles
Esprits neufs pleins d’aspirations,
A faire apparaître dans « la Grande Image »
Quelque chose d’unique, de palpable,
Qui atteindrait même - qui sait ?-
Une dimension éthique.
Presenting the children who did the mural together
And then the children got ready to take down the cover to lift the suspense.
The children dragged back the cover to make room for everyone to see.
The mural of Gezoncourt: 'The other: enemy or friend?' 2010
One detail of the mural
Photos of the children who painted the mural where put into the mural and Alexandra Zanne used this in a very clever way when ending her documentary film of the painting of the mural.
Silva and others viewing the mural
Alexandra Zanne explaining how the mural came about
The creators of the mural, the supporters of Alexandra and the guests Bernard Conlon and Hatto Fischer
People starting to approach the mural to take a closer look
One detail, opps, a bit upside down or sideways
Then followed the reception and small talk filled the room
Guests chatting with Alexandra Zanne
The two persons to the right are the parents of Alexandra Zanne. They came to see what their daughter had brought about with this Kids' Guernica action which took the children to Verdun where they discussed with a historian the reasons behind First World War.
and a girl ended up with in midst of the rest of the story.
HF 2.12.2010
« Steps leading up to action in Gezoncourt | Alexandra Zanne »