Highlighting the small things in life – interview with Sans façon
“We asked the children where they play. They build houses in fig trees. They eat walnuts off the ground. They pick pomegranates. We asked an old man how he played as a child. He said he was behind a machine gun when he was 4 years old.”
As part of our Artes Mundi 3 programme, we have commissioned the artistic collaboration Sans façon to create an innovative experience for Cardiff in Spring 2008. Charles Blanc and Tristan Surtees, who are Sans façon, visited Cardiff recently to research the new project. We caught up with them to find out more about what makes them tick.
What does Sans façon mean?
CB: It’s a French expression which means ‘without unnecessary ceremony, without great formality.’ I am French but it just sort of came to us and it felt right. It means we can work in many different ways and it reflects our own way of thinking and approach to our work.
How did you end up working together?
TS: I studied environmental art, where 50% of the piece is non-media specific. You have to consider the environment you’re working in and the relationship of people engaging in the work. I was working at an art and architecture practice and met Charles, who trained as an architect, and was also working there. We began working together permanently in 2000 during a residency at Cove Park. That gave us our first chance to explore a collaborative approach.
How would you describe your rationale?
TS: What we’re interested in is the relationship between people and place. So much of our environment is sterile. We want to draw attention to the small things. The things that pass-by unnoticed. Sometimes we are tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes we can bring pleasure or heightened awareness. In our work at Fish Quay on the mouth of the river Tyne, we spent time observing the comings and goings of an area that was about to be regenerated by developers. At first we didn’t find much there, but it didn’t take long to see that the row of fish and chip shops near the sea was a local attraction and had a value which no-one had fully recognised.
Is it difficult to plug into the local environment as you do?
TS: We find that if you’re curious, people are curious too. If you show genuine interest in what people do, they want to talk about what they do.
How do you approach your work?
TS: Every project is different. A collaboration can be with one other person or many. The constant is always Charles and myself. We work pretty seamlessly.
What are you working on currently?
TS: We have nine projects right now including two public spaces in Bristol – an urban parterre and a promenade; we have just returned from our project in Calgary, Canada; we are working with a theatre director for a piece at the Stills Gallery, Edinburgh; in Spain we are working in Priorat with Idensitat and we will have an installation this November at Manchester’s Cube Galleries.
And the Artes Mundi project?
TS: This project is giving us freedom to respond to Cardiff, the place, which is great. We have direction but by it not being prescriptive it is ideal for the development and unfolding of the project. We are looking at how we can turn the volume up on everyday things in Cardiff. Sound will play a major part.
So what have you found in Cardiff so far?
TS: We love the market and we found a harp shop in the arcade that we found quite symbolic of the city.
You travel a lot. Are there any places you’ve been to recently that particularly inspired you?
TS: Priorat in Spain. We asked the children where they play. They build houses in fig trees. They eat walnuts off the ground. They pick pomegranates. We asked an old man how he played as a child. He said he was behind a machine gun when he was 4 years old.
Any favourite artists?
TS: Francis Alys – we loved his Artangel work. Also Jeremy Dellar and Olafur Elaisson.