Guido Molinari is said to have "contributed significantly to the development of non-figurative painting and to the influence of geometric abstraction in Quebec, Canada, and internationally" (https://collections-fondationguidomolinari.org/).https://collections-fondationguidomolinari.org/).
This is how my intention was born, my desire to explore this geometric abstraction that dominates a large part of the painter's work. Through my silent observations, my very personal desire is to try to define a "state" after contemplating a painting and to see how this state can eventually be translated into a musical gesture. Standing, observing a large-format painting by the artist, I wonder: would it be possible for me to feel, to decode an underlying reason for the balance of these lines, for the positioning of these forms?
It is therefore the role of time to validate this objective; what I am seeking is the state, the emotion that this benevolent silence conveys to me. For me, as an observer, the abstraction flows from the rhythms of the counterpoints; it moves, it's dynamic. All these lines go from one direction to another, from one to the other, all these shapes have a character, and so do the sounds! Very humbly, the initial still images served as a memory link for me, so that once I sat down to work on this canvas, it was a matter of retrieving those moments and creating my own "states" expressed in colors.
To this initial sketch, I add "Gray-Blue Structure" [*1] which, in my memory, suggests energy and rhythm, coupled with a somewhat hypnotic character. This energy, this dynamism, translates for me into "Bright Blue," whose momentum is sustained and carries its conversations at a rapid pace.
In this same approach, I revisit "uninoir" [*2], which reflects a concern with inhabiting the contrasts of the painting. Two distinct characteristics emerge, and I perceive a curious balance coupled with a certain comfortable stability within this space where black and gray coexist. Transported into my world, the state of this painting evokes a sense of well-being and peace. There's a suspended moment, a quiet conversation without any rush. This "uninoir" (a neologism combining "union" and "noir," suggesting a harmonious blend of elements) gives voice to this balance, already present in its title, and this union of the senses can lead to a language in which exchange and dialogue are expressed through all the instrumental parts. I named it "Ebony," a name suited to depicting this counterpoint in which language is carried from one voice to another without compromise or reservation.
It was truly through this process that I enjoyed deciphering some personal impressions inspired by selected paintings by Molinari. Here, it's important to preserve the freedom of observation that I, as the viewer, possess, and to express my reflections through this musical medium. On several occasions, I've had the privilege of daydreaming in the Molinari space. The painter's canvases, which inhabit the space, sometimes give us the curious feeling of being observed, revealing how the painter's energy and his story still resonate in this unique place.
The Molinari Quartet proudly bears the colors of the painter, and I hope that in my stories, the listener can perceive a convergence – one that only art can achieve, transcending the passage of time and its many nuances.
Without pretension, «coin Darling» invites us to participate in this game.oin Darling nous invite à ce jeu.
Denis Dion
*2:https://collections-fondationguidomolinari.org/document/uninoir/657b0d6eba5ae911fbebee81?pos=6&pgn=0
coin Darling
pour quatuor à cordes
1. Bleu vif
2. Ébène
3. Mauve
4. Reflet argenté
5. Noir
6. Transparent
