Since prehistoric times, stones have been elementary components for magical, religious and ethnic rituals, some traces of which have come down to us, especially through megalithic erections (Mother Earth), which are the basis of many stories – scientific or imaginary ones. In feminist anti-nuclear
and anti-military movements or through chicana feminism in the US of the 70s, activism is singulary linked with spirituality regarding to gender and racial discrimination of the minorities. They depict a new politic devotion through ritual demonstrations (Starhawk) and auto-historia (Gloria E. Anzaldùa) of minority groups. In activist circles during uprisings or political strugles, the stone becomes an instrument of resistance (falling, throwing, sabotage, etc.). The activist imprints in the stone a point

of view, materializes an intention for the future. In all eras communities have sought to organize symbolic systems that manifest themselves materially through inscription on stones or on the rock itself. Engraved signs and symbols become bearers of narratives, making possible the interpretation of the future (runes), the care of bodies (lithotherapy), representing magical intentions (sigils), offering the promise of a more comfortable life (hobo code), protecting beings (amulet), attracting energies (talisman), opening onto another possible sky.

From Earth to Heaven, from Heaven to Hell, the game of hopscotch is the object of a symbolic ritual linked to various beliefs. Its origin in occident goes back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when hopscotch was played as a random game or synonymous of fortune. The term of ”puck” originally refer to a currency – taking the form of a token, or even a stone used for board games. Traced on the ground, the structure of hopscotch reveals a projected architecture, materializing a Beyond on the scale of the hand. The symbolic paving stone, cast as a spell, a wish or an oracle, is likely to unveil bypaths. How can stones and rituals give power to intentions, beliefs and devotion of caring and empowering communities?

Dialoging directly with public and occult places through field surveys, exploratory interviews, serendipity walks, visits via esoteric, narrative, sensitive, geological approaches.

Dialoguer directement avec l’espace public et infiltrer ses parts d’ombres par le biais d’enquêtes de terrain, d’entretiens exploratoires, de déambulations, de visites sérendipitaires, le tout via des approches ésotériques, narratives, sensibles, géologiques.

Intuitive and sensorial knowledges become datas, displaying dialogical formats & dispositives through which conversation is experienced as a form.

Des connaissances intuitives et savoirs sensoriels se transforment en données matérielles, déployant des formats et des dispositifs dialogiques à travers lesquels la conversation s’expérimente comme forme.

Interacting directly & symbolically with vernacular environments and communities at the intersection between life and aesthetics, art is experienced as a social & collective engagement.

Of Stones and Days is an intervention in an elementary school in Bischwiller taking the form of a workshop. During a week-long meeting, children from two classes of CM1 and CM2 are invited to understand the space of the playground through the notion of psychogeography, and to experience its geological dimension. Equipped with pencils and invented cartography, the children walk around this space, excavate and analyze it with the accompaniment of artist Cynthia Montier.

The last stage of the workshop is an introduction to the editing and production of fanzines that transcribe the work done collectively and its journey.

Des pierres et des jours est une intervention réalisée dans une école élémentaire à Bischwiller sous la forme d’un workshop. À l’occasion d’une semaine de rencontre, les enfants de deux classes de CM1 et de CM2 sont invité·e·s à appréhender l’espace de la cour de récréation à travers la notion de psychogéographie, et à en expérimenter la dimension géologique. Munis de crayons et d’une cartographie inventée, les enfants arpentent cet espace, le fouillent et l’analysent avec l’accompagnement de l’artiste Cynthia Montier.
La dernière étape du workshop constitue une initiation à l’édition et à la réalisation de fanzines retranscrivant le travail réalisé collectivement et son parcours.

Interagir directement et symboliquement avec des environnements et les communautés vernaculaires qui les compose. Le tout à l’intersection entre vie et esthétique, la relation est appréhendée comme un geste créatif mobilisant un engagement social et collectif.

« le rituel est un acte de responsabilité qui donne sens. Et comme le mot anglais respons-ability le dit bien, il s’agit de l’acquisition d’une possibilité de réponse ».

Pavillon [meaning in French both pavilion and flag] is a series of furtive intervention by Cynthia Montier and Mathieu Tremblin. It consists in installing solar garden lawn lights to design impossible access or path through vacant lots within the city.
By this visual sign presence, Pavillon tends to highlight the absence of occupation of in-between areas thus to invites anyone to reclaim it.

Pavillon est une série d’interventions furtives de Cynthia Montier et Mathieu Tremblin. Il consiste à installer des lampes solaires sur les pelouses des jardins pour concevoir des accès ou des chemins impossibles à travers les terrains vagues de la ville.
Par cette présence de signes visuels, Pavillon tend à mettre en évidence l’absence d’occupation des espaces intermédiaires et invite ainsi quiconque à s’en réapproprier.