Variations for Marray
Research project
Marray, Village in Indre et Loire, Region Centre Val de Loire, France – 2019
Collaboration with Intention Publique and C.A.U.E. Indre et Loire
Funding: À vos Idées, Région Centre Val de Loire and Marray
The artist developed a series of proposals resulting from guided tours provided by local inhabitants, discussions with local stakeholders, and research in local archives. Cécile Pitois wished to work with an architect and a landscape designer on projects that take into account visible and invisible local heritage, with strong emphasis on sound and vibratory energy. “Variations for Marray” is the overall title for these proposals.
Le Murmure du Menhir – The Murmuring Menhir
Marray will now have its own standing stone! This new concept by artist Cécile Pitois is based on a legend that involves a ritual. Although some nearby villages have menhirs (standing stones), Marray was an exception. While studying maps in the local archives, Cécile was interested to see labels stating: “existing menhir”, “doubtful menhir” or “menhir disappeared”. In addition, the abandoned Grès Roussard quarries remain a powerful element of local heritage that older residents still remember well. Stone from the quarry should be used to make this megalith, set alongside a public footpath, offering sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
La Boîte à Musique – The Music Box
The Marray wash house, once a place for lively social interaction, is now marginalized because it is no longer used. It is nonetheless sporadically occupied because it is next to the river and a nearby children’s play area. It could become a vibrant space once again thanks to a project based on sound – the sound of the river and the sound of music – for the enjoyment of all. Thanks to Bluetooth speakers, people can bring their own music and sit, dance or relax, either alone or with others.
La Yourte des Passereaux – The Passerine Yurt
As she walked through the village, the artist noticed a Bird Protection League plaque on a house and decided to find out more about it. She met Jean-Marc and Christine, who are passionately involved in the protection of birds and their habitat. This resulted in a collaborative project where they came up with the idea of a special observation point in the diverse landscape around the village, which includes meadows, woodland and lakes. The idea is to create a “sound observatory” to help people learn about birds in an original way. This structure, called the Passerine Yurt, is a space where people can relax and listen to local birdsong, on the edge of a wood where footpaths intersect.
Le Cœur Battant – The Beating Heart
The Marray council wanted to create a new square in the heart of the village. The artist Cécile Pitois developed a project in collaboration with Maxime Vignolles, landscape designer with ADAC 37. Hervé Bourdillat, architect and designer and Cécile Pitois designed a convivial space, called “The Beating Heart”, inspired by music, as there is an important annual musical event in the village. It is a platform surrounded by benches that can be used by café customers, and it can also serve as a stage for concerts, dance shows and food markets.
EUGÉNIE DANS LES CAMPAGNES is a program initiated by the artist Cécile Pitois. Its aim is to create highly contextualized public artworks in small rural villages, away from the tourist trail, and whose energy and features deserve to be revealed and highlighted. In 2017, the village of Marray in the département of Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire Region, decided to support this initiative by carrying out a pilot project.
