Deaf and Dumb is a video installation based on Laurent Clerc’s diary “a recital to perfect myself in the english language “, written during his boat trip. This work puts into perspective what 200 years old words still tell us about our contemporary world. All accessories of the set could potentially be manipulated. The video acticates its own scenery.
The scene takes place in 1816, when Laurent Clerc left France from Le Havre, on a vessel going to New-York City, USA. This two months journey, gave Mr Clerc the opportunity to improve his written english through his board diary. Deaf since he was a kid, he had been offered to teach french sign language in the first school of American Sign Language, making ASL a creolic language emerging from French Sign Language. Let’s follow Mr Clerc in his discovery of North American education, two centuries ago, and see how it might still make sense today.
Featuring Christophe Brault
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Deaf and Dumb est librement inspirée du journal de bord de Laurent Clerc nommé “a recital to perfect myself in the english language “. Cette vidéo théâtre s’active au fil des accessoires qui la composent. L’histoire se passe en 1818. Laurent Clerc embarque à bord du navire Mary Augusta à destination de New-York City. Pendant plus de deux mois, il rédigera son journal, perfectionnant ainsi son anglais écrit. Sourd depuis sa petite enfance, il sera le premier professeur de language des signes aux États-Unis faisant du langage des signes américain un langage créole né du langage des signes français. Suivons M. Clerc il y a 200 ans pendant son voyage, dans son éveil à la culture américaine et son langage, et découvrons ce qu’il raconte peut-être de nous aujourd’hui ?
Avec la participation de Christophe Brault
Vidéo, plâtre, bois, feutre, cintre, 2016 / Video, plaster, wood, felt, hanger, 2016
Download the recital script / Télécharger le texte du recital en anglais