Gallery, 9 place Saint Michel
During the rough winter of 2010, a cosmopolitan group of 20 refuged to an abandoned building only guided by the light of Paris.
They did their savior ship in the ocean of urban instability. Facing the vital needs, being creative although being threatened of expulsion by the armed forces, we became structured, offering an artistic and cultural project open to the world in exchange for the occupation of public property.
Since then, everyone was awakened. Half of us found another situation: vocational training, work, decent housing, shop, love, ... Vacancies have hosted artists from districts that needed space and others from around the world to create.
We have welcomed the cultural communities from different countries through recognized institutions, universities, culturally charged officials, mayors, ambassadors, collectors, personalities from the artistic world, famous publishers, curious passer-byers. Jour et Nuit Culture has become a universal and cultural interaction place in human creation.
We have organized many exhibitions, concerts, meetings, debates, performances, screenings, lectures, courses, workshops, and have helped many students experiment with amplifying the scope of their academic curriculum. Today, Jour et Nuit culture has a wide field of expression.
Since 1989, the premises of 61 rue Saint-Charles, were made available to EDF by the city of Paris, but in 2009 the group Eurec (public lighting substituted EDF) leaving them unoccupied and in a state of degradation. In November of 2010, the Collective "Day & Night Culture" invested the place to meet your needs and the artists will install their workshops. On November 15, 2011, the City of Paris signed a temporary occupancy agreement and an agreement on objectives with the association of Jour et Nuit culture to allow its artistic and cultural project to continue to develop.
Because of its history, we have given a big name to this large building at the end of one of our first meetings, he was named "Le Générateur". A former cabinet had given way to a great void in the basement, and we found documents dating from the eighties proving the activity that existed before. But after being contacted by another place of cultural and artistic activities with the same name, in Gentilly, we opted for “Jour et Nuit Culture” or "Day and Night Culture” in English.
Indeed, by the temporary and uncertain condition of our occupation, it was clear that this place was going to be in high use, possibly to exhaustion, by creations of all kinds, and as intense as possible. Who could ask for more surfaces to work with, when the artists' studios are in Paris and are virtually inaccessible for the majority of contenders?
Art Exposition, Musée de la Poste, Paris.
Since 1989, the premises of 61 rue Saint-Charles, were made available to EDF by the city of Paris, but in 2009 the group Eurec (public lighting substituted EDF) leaving them unoccupied and in a state of degradation. In November of 2010, the Collective "Day & Night Culture" invested the place to meet your needs and the artists will install their workshops. On November 15, 2011, the City of Paris signed a temporary occupancy agreement and an agreement on objectives with the association of Jour et Nuit culture to allow its artistic and cultural project to continue to develop.
Former employees of Citelum, the company located here a few years ago, came to meet us. These meetings gave surprises and discoveries, we gradually reconstructed the history of the building that welcomed us with names of employees remaining on the doors of the old offices on the first floor - the word "secrétariat" was an anagram that was really "sacré taré”, a rusty key was found and indicated the ownership of the spaces and was carefully stored in a box as relics. Thus, we have the "store" that will become a rehearsal space and be for artistic events (space 9), the disused boiler that will serve as an unusual setting for the filming of a clip (space # 55), and many others. The showers which partly seem even older, still are showers. Showers have been cascading since several months ago, and there are some leaks in pipes and in some parts of the roof that will be carefully repaired, now that we are the new guardians of this place, it is nothing other than to give us energy.
We comply with all that the neighborhood gives us. After a warm welcome from the owner of the neighboring restaurant in the early days of our occupation, it was the turn of our neighbors to bring us books, clothing, and furniture. And it is our trained eye that passes to comb the streets, and soon dozens of furniture, books, chairs, shelves, lamps, etc ... come to fill our rooms. And any other object that was found wound take its place with the intended useful, artistic, beautiful or functional aspect.
We found out very quickly the functions of the rooms, echoing our diversity practices (visual arts, creating volume, dance, music, photography etc ...). The functions of the rooms succeed or multiply, a simple corridor, instead of daily passages turns into libraries and then in the weight room - library (marriage of body and mind), and finally second showroom (space No. 10), following strong demand from artists. The cellar was first a rehearsal room for musicians, and a photo studio (area 53) and recording studio (Area 54), the spaces were transformed with the will and energy of the people supporting their projects in these places, students, young professionals and artists. The room was narrow and had a dark hangar (space 2) becoming a photo lab (room 5), the rest of the space accommodates the collective Vélorution every Sunday (January-April 2011) where dozens of bikes deploy and rebuild.
A significant budget was invested and a real showroom was made in what was "the workshop to the Scriptures" and that became the gallery (space 15), (paintings redone after each exposure, systems Multiple lighting and even the hanging system works). Similarly, the dance hall (space 19) is gradually invested by laying a parquet, and mirrors, as part of a donation after loaning the room for the shooting of a student .
Very quickly the energy converges to the desire to improve the site to make workshops and places of business in the best conditions. This desire is shared with many residents overflowing with projects that bring their initiative to see develop their activities in these places, a true "Eldorado" unexpected in St. Charles. This place, with the exception of the recording studio, was built on the surplus of the company.