Words on Stage – Saint-Étienne Book Festival

On October 11th, I had the pleasure of participating in the Saint-Étienne Book Festival, performing for the first time in a “live show” format.

I didn’t choose the book I was to interpret, and at first, this choice made me question myself: I had never drawn a dog before. Then I discovered the breed of Ubac, the main character, a Bernese Mountain Dog. Instantly, it clicked in my heart. Since I was a child, I had dreamed of having this dog as a companion, but life had taken a different path. The book cover made me realize that this project would be an artistic challenge both daring and deeply personal.
To stay true to this encounter with the book and its character, I hardly prepared in advance. I only made a sketch, without any further practice, so that Ubac would emerge instinctively and naturally, without overthinking.

On stage, my voice accompanied the painting, quoting passages from the book while my brushes brought each word to life with color and movement. It was an immersion in the bonds between living beings, filled with emotion, attachment, and freedom.

A little anecdote: I arrived two minutes before the audience was due to enter, after having misread my start time! I ran across the city center carrying this huge canvas, breathless and a little stressed, to set up the stage in just 2 minutes. Fortunately, I could count on an amazing technical team, who helped me get everything ready without delaying the program.

The magic didn’t stop there: I had the chance to meet José Luis Munuera and Cédric Sapin-Defour. A vibrant encounter, full of warmth and joy, which made the moment after the performance even more memorable.

A huge thank you to the city of Saint-Étienne, to the entire technical team, and of course to the authors, for their welcome, their trust, and their openness. They discovered me on the spot, without knowing how I would interpret their books, and gave me the freedom to create and explore this performance.