The Lemieux Pilon 4D art company wins the Grand Prize for artistic formula from the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) with the performance marathon Sisyphus hailed as “a solitary tribute to audacity, innovation and talent”.
The work presented at the Olympic Stadium required Victor Pilon to shovel 50 tons of sand by hand, tirelessly, for a full month, at the rate of 6 days a week and 7 hours a day of labour.
“It was so unexpected! A solo performance by an artist who moves a mountain of sand for 30 days, the absurd who wins a prize, I am overwhelmed”, says the winner interviewed by telephone by The duty after his coronation.
The CAM prizes have been awarded for 36 years to highlight “artistic contributions that have illuminated the year”. The CAM usually rewards organizations, rarely individuals. This time, with the Grand Prix, she goes through one (Lemieux Pilon 4D art) to honor the other (Victor Pilon). This year, the selection also rewards Les Productions Nuits d’Afriques (Jury Prize) and Réalisatrices Équitables (Audience Prize).
Victor Pilon’s performance was inspired by the myth of Sisyphus condemned for eternity to push a stone to the top of a mountain from where it always ends up falling. Albert Camus made it the symbol of a life worth living despite the torments and absurdity of fate.
Mr. Pilon thought of this project after the tragic death of his spouse, Sylvain, who died in a car accident a few years ago. His tribute performance to his loved one has only become more significant in the context of the pandemic crisis which has claimed millions of lives around the world, including thousands in Quebec.
“I think people were able to identify with Sisyphus, continues Mr. Pilon, in the quest for meaning in a world that has fewer and fewer landmarks, where the lie becomes stronger than the truth. For many people who came to see me, the performance had a therapeutic effect. It has become an outlet for their grief, their pain, their frustration. »
The performer shared his simple shovel from time to time with the public and he explains that half the time the chosen spectator collapsed in tears. “I have never experienced such intimacy with the public in my 40-year career. Yes, there was something meditative and conceptual in the approach, questioning metro-work-sleep, the absurdity of everyday life, the eternal renewal. But in the end I was going to join the people in the heart”.
The Grand Prize is accompanied by a $30,000 scholarship. It should partly be used to develop an art film “about the myth of Sisyphus and the quest for meaning”. The performance was captured on video. “I’m going to take the time to see if I still have something relevant to say,” said Victor Pilon. I am 64 years old. At this age, I have few years left and few creations. I have to do things that are close to my heart. »