Daniel Betis (La 1ière France Info-Martinique) writes about the photograph/sound exhibition “Une Tournée dans la tempête” [A Tour in the Tempest, or Journey in the Storm…]—a gathering of works by Aimé Césaire and Jean-Marie Serreau in the field of Caribbean theater. This exhibition, free and open to the public, opened on April 24, 2024. Curated by Romain Fohr and Sylvie Chalaye and sponsored by Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle (IRET) in partnership with Université des Antilles (CRILLASH), is on view through April 28 at Villa Chanteclerc in Didier, Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Here we are at the heart of the meeting of minds between two men, an author and a director. In 1965, La Tragédie du roi Christophe [The Tragedy of King Christophe] marked the first collaboration between Aimé Césaire and Jean-Marie Serreau. Two other creative moments followed: Une Saison au Congo (1967) and Une Tempête (1969).
A Tour in the Storm, the photographic sound exhibition presents a strong experience in emotions, based on the transmission and foundation of the Caribbean theatrical field.
A theatrical tour in Martinique in the “Tempest”
This research work by the University of the Sorbonne Nouvelle (IRET) in partnership with the University of the Antilles (CRILLASH) is supported by several institutions (INA, CTM, BnF and ETC Caribbean).
Thanks to photographer Betty Raffaelli, Martinique discovers the traces of this theatrical tour. She was invited by Jean Marie Serreau, who had the weighty responsibility of putting on three plays for the first Fort-de-France Festival: “Terre Battue,” by Boudjema Bouhada; “Homme pour Homme,” by Bertold Brecht and “La Tragédie du roi Christophe,” by Aimé Césaire.
Danielle Van Berckeycke, wife of Jean-Marie Serreau
Danièle Van Bercheycke (of Surinamese origin through her father), an actor and director, was married to Jean-Marie Serreau. She has lasting memories of her performances in Martinique. She is at the origin of the gathering of works by these two figures.
This exhibition allows us to re-appropriate Césaire. It highlights the impact and issues of the companionship between the author and the director and demonstrates the poetics and aesthetics of the work of the champion of the Négritude movement.
Césaire the visionary
We discover photos from the era, actors like Toto Bissainthe, speeches by Césaire, and images from 1972, which mark the foundation of Caribbean theater. [. . .]
Translated from the French by Ivette Romero. For original article, videos, and photos, see https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/martinique/aime-cesaire-et-jean-marie-serreau-reunis-dans-une-exposition-a-la-villa-chanteclerc-a-fort-de-france-1483304.html
Daniel Betis (La 1ière France Info-Martinique) writes about the photograph/sound exhibition “Une Tournée dans la tempête” [A Tour in the Tempest, or Journey in the Storm…]—a gathering of works by Aimé Césaire and Jean-Marie Serreau in the field of Caribbean theater. This exhibition, free and open to the public, opened on April 24, 2024. Curated
