Since 2016, the association has been developing a program of multidisciplinary artistic residencies in the Blosne district of Rennes, inviting an original team made up of an artist, a person living in Blosne and a surprise guest. Together, they will design an artistic work to be installed/presented in the space, based on a work theme submitted to them.
A multidisciplinary, contributive artistic approach
Conceiving, producing and distributing artistic projects are the pillars of L’âge de la tortue’s activity. All projects are imagined from the outset by artists, with whom we design processes that will ultimately give rise to artistic forms in the visual and performing arts. L’âge de la tortue’s projects integrate a contributive dimension, born of a desire to go beyond the simple notion of audience, which would place the structure’s activity within a production/consumption model. Whether early on in the process, through the organization of focus groups for example, or later, at the time of production or distribution, the aim is to enable interested parties to play an active part in the development of actions. In this system, which is reinvented for each project, one principle serves as a guiding principle: get people interested before getting them interested in the project. This motto has been at the very heart of the association for almost 20 years.
The “Secondary residence” project
“Résidence secondaire” proposes a cross-disciplinary questioning of a shared space, a space common to all: public space. The project’s title, Résidence secondaire, refers to those vacation spots where people go to recharge their batteries, get away from everyday life, or take time out to reflect. Here, the concept takes root in territories that are not traditionally perceived in the collective imagination as places where people come to spend a few days off. This detour forces us to take a step aside and take a fresh look at the issues raised. Participation in democratic life is at the heart of the project, as it is both a central theme of reflection and a methodological axis developed throughout the project’s implementation. It will bring together, around the theme of public space, the combined skills of residents, public decision-makers and researchers to create a common work. In this way, L’Âge de la Tortue aims to displace the notion of the target public, enabling interested parties to play an active part in the development of actions and in the process of reflection.