The public’s enthusiasm at the Fête des Artistes et Citoyens Ensemble (FACE)—which focused on the theme of preserving our humanity—on September 25, 26, and 27, surprised the organizers at Arts-Cultures Massawippi. FACE brought together hundreds of residents from the region, as well as people from as far away as Saguenay, Gatineau, Quebec City, and Montreal.
The show “Cosse-tu penses mon p’tit bonhomme ?” about Kerouac, the performance by Tire le Coyote and Robert Lalonde, and the event “Le Grand Partage” were all sold out, turning away many latecomers. Excellence, relevance, and emotion were on full display, met with standing ovations and highly complimentary reviews.
The chemistry between Robert Lalonde, Tomás Jensen, and Karèya Audet, along with the masterful rendition of Kerouac’s texts and poems set to music, delighted the audience. “Kerouac is finally accessible—fascinatingly relevant even today.”
The mutual respect between Tire le coyote and Robert Lalonde made for a unique performance. The emotion was palpable, as was the audience’s enthusiasm for Tire le Coyote’s powerful and sensitive writing and his folk-rock music with a ’70s vibe—which were just as admired as the intelligence and charisma of actor and author Robert Lalonde. Lalonde introduced the audience to Tire le Coyote’s poems, which he performed with intensity and depth.
At “Le Grand Partage“, the responses to the question, “What do you want to preserve about our humanity ?” surprised many with the quality of the texts and songs selected—not only from those over 20 years old but also from very young participants aged 13 to 17. Here are a few excerpts: Élouan — “…what reassures me is that AI will never have that bright, warm spark that every human possesses deep within themselves…” Miro — “Art is essential for humans to find their freedom of expression. If art ever disappears, we’ll have to reinvent it !” Jade – “Don’t wait until you’re blind to realize just how beautiful our world is. Be aware of its wonderful treasures, its magnificent landscapes, its overflowing life…” Kamal – “Freedom, that unpredictable wind that sometimes crosses our path and allows us to fully experience our emotions.” Eben Dymond – “The earth first, profits second.”
The “Artists in Action” event gave many residents the opportunity to discover the artistic styles of four talented artists and purchase signed works of art on the spot.
