En coulisses avec Pit Wagner

Let’s start from the beginning, how did your encounter with United Instruments of Lucilin happen?

Lucilin and CEPA were roommates at Carré in Hollerich. I was giving drawing classes there, and as a member of the CEPA board, our paths often crossed.
With Danielle Hennicot, I had the experience of Live Painting during one of my exhibitions. Hence the idea of deepening the experience. I’m thrilled that it’s finally coming to fruition!

Tell us about your relationship with music, particularly your connection to contemporary music.

It’s a long story! Since my childhood, I’ve been listening to contemporary music, even if it made me seem like an outsider to my peers who didn’t understand my interest. But for me, this music was fascinating!

During my art studies in Amsterdam, I used to draw during jazz concerts and jam sessions. In the 80s, I often drew during rehearsals of the RTL Symphony Orchestra, now the Luxembourg Philharmonic. I went back regularly to draw and study the relationship between music and visual arts. This exploration is part of the questions I ask about art in general, literature, theater, music, painting… These forms of art have something in common, even if it’s not obvious at first glance: they go beyond the rational. I am drawn to interdisciplinary projects.

In your experiments, have you managed to establish rules for translating music into painting?

Before talking about transcription, maybe we should talk about the difference and what connects these two mediums: time. When the music stops, the sounds evaporate, they disappear. The music is over, and only the impression it left remains. On the other hand, when I paint, it stays.

Initially, my research was more figurative, but through my experiments, I discovered many structures and rhythms, making it more and more abstract. The figurative and the abstract blend or coexist, depending on the music and the emotions it conveys. There are no strict rules; it’s a matter of personal feeling. I try to translate sounds and atmospheres into images in a sensory way.

The common ground, the bridge between the visual and the music, is that we talk about the colors of sounds and the tones of colors.

What artistic goal do you hope to achieve by combining painting and music on stage?

This concert is a sensory adventure. By combining acoustic and visual elements, the viewer is immersed, allowing for a different understanding of the music. At least, that’s what we hope! Perhaps this concert will spark a new interest, whether in contemporary music or painting. The idea is to create bridges. However, it won’t be a didactic concert. What unites Danielle and me on stage is primarily enjoyment. I love to draw, and Danielle loves to play the viola. And beyond the pleasure, there is our entire artistic approach.

As artists, we are researchers. Combining different forms of art is not new; other artists, musicians, and painters have done and continue to do so, but the approach is personal.

My technical approach for the concert with United Instruments of Lucilin comes from the Live Painting experiences I had with other ensembles.

How do you prepare for this performance?

I have been preparing for a while, and I have thought extensively about the artistic setup. I know the program, I know the pieces. The four pieces are very different, so I choose my materials to be able to create an image for each piece. The passing time is a challenge.

Initially, I had considered using a digital tablet, but the organic sound of the viola made it feel inappropriate. The viola is one of my favorite instruments, and I think the organic aspect of inks, brushes, and everything else is more suitable to capture its character. I am experimenting to manage the time I have.

I will adapt my approach to the nature of each piece. If I was a bit lost at the beginning, I am starting to feel comfortable. I worked on the overall structure; I know how I will proceed while leaving room for improvisation. I work with inks that diffuse and mix, so there are uncontrollable areas. I like reacting to unexpected events that make the images come alive. I embrace the unexpected within a structured plan.

If you had to assign a color to this entire program, what would it be?

Difficult question. Mixing everything would result in a muddy color. I work partly in black and white, then with pigmented inks. Each piece has its own colors, its own tonality.

Lucilin in the City #11: Live Painting
28.01.2024 | 17:00
Drescherhaus, Dommeldange

To attend the performance of Pit Wagner and Danielle Hennicot, remember to reserve your seat: reservation@lucilin.lu

Detailed Program:
Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Sola (2019)
Missy Mazzoli: Tooth and Nail (viola version) (2010)
François Sarhan: Inexplicable (2022-2023)
Kaija Saariaho. Vent nocturne (2006)

With:
United Instruments of Lucilin
Danielle Hennicot, viola
Madtrix, electronics and sound projection
Pit Wagner, brushes, plants, inks, and papers

Entrances:
Single entry: €10 / reduced €5 / Kulturpass €1.50
(payment on-site)

Photos: © Anneke Walch / Claude Piscitelli