Fleur de lys, fleur de thé – 2021
In collaboration with La Vieille Usine de l’Anse-à-Beaufils
Fleur de lys, fleur de thé is the name of the provincial component of Festival Accès Asie. The objective is to advance the appreciation and understanding of the arts, cultures, and Asian stories in the regions of Québec. In addition, this component offers an opportunity for artists from the Asian community to present their work outside Montreal.
La Vieille Usine, located in Gaspésie, welcomes the Festival team for a second time from September 2 to 5, 2021 with 6 artistic components: Visual arts, dance, music, children’s workshop, culinary art, mediation.
5:00 to 7:00 - Private viewing of the exhibition by Ben Fry & Kyra Shaughnessy
Faces of Cape Breton explores questions of cultural identity as well as the role of art in creating bonds between peoples through a series of portraits and discussions with individuals of various heritages (Mi’kmaq, Scottish, Acadian , Breton, Basque …). The exhibit demonstrates the incredible wealth of distinct and vibrant cultures that coexist on Cape Breton Island and invites us to take a look at our shared humanity. All photographs shown were taken with a Hasselblad film camera.
8:30 pm – Classic indian dances with Anjali Patil, Julie Beaulieu and Sonia St-Michel
Sonia St-Michel, Julie Beaulieu and Anjali Patil share the stage for an exceptional evening where the riches of Indian culture unfold through Odissi, Bharatanatyam and Kathak dances. Both bewitching and rhythmic, the repertoire pieces offered spectators an opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Indian dance: a meeting that certainly leaves its traces in the imagination.
10:00 to 11:30 am – Shadow Theatre Workshop with Jade Barshee & Chloé Barshee
Presented and conceptualized by Chloé and Jade Barshee, founders of the Théâtre Everest company, this activity for ages 7 to 10 is an introduction to shadow theater, a theatrical form that opens the doors to the imagination.
12:30 to 2:30 pm – Photographic dialogue dinner with Ben Fry and Mathieu L’Heureux-Roy
After a presentation of the artists’ work follow a discussion around the history of photography, its place in today’s society and the abandonment of film photography for digital.
8:30 pm – Brise japonaise with Yuki Isami & Natsuki Hiratsuka
Brise japonaise is a concert composed of a happy mix of traditional, contemporary and folk music. It’s a recital which is an expression of the amalgam between the Asian heritage and the constant discovery of Quebec culture, thus echoing the shock and, above all, the harmony between the past and the present.
11:30 am to 1:00 pm – Tibetan Cooking Workshop by the Barshee Family
Enjoy a menu inspired by a typical Tibetan day: from breakfast to dinner, not to mention traditional snacks and drinks. The activity is open to all and allow participants to learn more about Tibetan food, its history and its specificity according to the regions.
2:00 pm – Meeting between the public and the artists
Meet the artists of Fleur de lys, fleur de thé at the café at La Vieille Usine and ask them all your questions!
Médias
Collaboration
You are in charge of a cultural venue outside of Montreal? You would like to host the Festival Accès Asie program event? ContactKhosro Berahmandi to discuss various artistic and cultural exchange opportunities.
Kyra Shaughnessy
Kyra Shaughnessy is best known for her career as a singer-songwriter, with five albums and tours across Canada and Europe to her name. Several years of collaboration with artists of both First Nations and displaced/immigrant heritage, as well as a deepening understanding of her own background (mixed Trinidadian-Indian-Scottish-Irish-English, born and raised bilingually in Quebec) have led to a specific interest in the connection between Celtic and First Nations peoples. It seemed only natural to combine her ongoing creative research with Ben’s idea of creating a series of portraits dedicated to culturally distinct and diverse members of the Cape Breton community.
Benoit Fry
Ben Fry has directed countless short films, video clips, documentaries, several of which have been selected in various festivals over the last 15 years. He has always considered his camera as a means of connecting with the other, which led him to his passion for portraiture. Originally from France, he was immediately fascinated by the multifaceted nature of Canadian multiculturalism. After visiting Cape Breton for the first time in 2017, he realized that many ancestral cultures are still alive and that people are still struggling to maintain their languages and the customs of their ancestors. In a world where homogeneous thinking has become the norm, documenting these communities has become essential.
Sonia St-Michel
Dancer and choreographer, Sonia is also artistic director of Sonia St-Michel Créations, an organization dedicated to the creation and dissemination of works that promotes collaborations between various artistic mediums and practices. Her Odissi dance practice began in 2000, punctuated by numerous trips to India to continue her research in choreography, perform on stage and train alongside AlokaPanikar, Sujata Mohapatra and Rekha Tandon. Her art finds its foundation in the Alexander technique and yoga. Somatic approaches have been an integral part of his life for 20 years. Introduced to classical Western singing by Stéphanie Piercey and Jonathan Voyer, Sonia considers herself a dancer-musician. She has performed in theaters, festivals, art galleries in Canada and abroad. Sonia has artistic education at heart, she teaches Odissi dance and offers school workshops throughout Quebec and Ontario.
Julie Beaulieu
Dancer and choreographer, researcher and teacher, Julie Beaulieu holds a master’s degree in dance from UQAM. A disciple of Vidwan Rohini R. Imarati since 2003, she stays periodically in India in order to perfect the art of Bharatanatyam, to offer performances and to carry out choreographic research residencies. Her past collaborations and creations have led her to work internationally. In 2010, Julie co-founded Saṃskāra: les artisans du passage with musician and researcher Jonathan Voyer. The organization’s mission is to promote cross-cultural dialogue through the arts. Julie is an associate member of the Center for Studies and Research on India, South Asia and its Diaspora (CERIAS) and in 2018 undertook a doctorate in studies and practices of the arts (UQAM). The concepts of transculturality, interbreeding and migration of gesture occupy his research interests, both in practice and in reflection.
Anjali Patil
An Ottawa resident, Anjali Patil is a passionate dancer, choreographer and teacher of Indian classical Kathak dance. She stands out in the global Indian classical dance communities as the founder and artistic director of the organization “Aroha Fine Arts”, as well as of the annual bilingual (English / French) festival which highlights art and culture from India to Canada, “ArohaFest”. For over 20 years, she has been committed to working as a sought-after artist in Canada, the United States, India and the Middle East; taking part in many renowned events with renowned institutions including Hyderabad University, the National Center for the Performing Arts in Mumbai as well as the National Arts Center of Canada. In addition to her artistic activities, Anjali Patil has worked extensively in the public sector as well as in the cultural policy sector as an employee in the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Chloé Barshee
Graduated of the UQAM School of Theater, Chloé Barshee has many stage experiences. She is cofounder of the Collectif Grande Surface, with whom she presents the pieces Et quand vient le silence at the Théâtre La Chapelle in 2015 and L’Éternité en temps réel presented at the Festival Phénoména in 2018. Chloé is also cofounder of the Théâtre Everest, creator of Batârdes. In 2017, she interpreted the role of Adsila in Molière, Shakespeare et moi, presented at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert. She participates in a reading of the play Les Belles Sœurs and the play L’amour au 21e siècle (selon Wikihow), directed by Véronique Pascal and performed at the ZH Festival. We also saw her in Nous serons éternels staging by Patrick R. Lacharité presented at the Théâtre Lachapelle. In 2020, she was in a theatrical production Guide d’éducation sexuelle pour le nouveau millénaire (Théâtre Denise-Pelletier) as well as Splendide jeunesse (Théâtre aux Écuries). We can see her on television in the Épidémie series, broadcast on TVA in 2020.
Jade Barshee
Jade Barshee, self-taught and versatile actress, has passed through Saint-Hyacinthe, Omnibus, Les Ateliers Danielle Fichaud, Studio 303 and was also responsible for communications at Festival Accès Asie. She is the co-founder of Théâtre Everest and the author of their first original creation Bâtardes. The piece was presented at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) and on tour in cultural centers in Montreal and the surrounding area. We could see her in SEX(E) at the Théâtre La Risée, in Soleil d’Artifice and 2h14 at Art Neuf, then at the Festival Plein la rue, in the Indiscrétions publiques tour parks in Montreal and in Le Confessionnal a play theater for teenagers on tour in secondary schools. On screen, she takes part in the documentary La fin des terres by Loïc Darses and she plays Ms. Tran in the series L’effet secondaire on Radio-Canada. We can also see her in the web series La loi c’est la loi and Je voudrais qu’on m’efface.
Yuki Isami
Flutist originally from Japan, Yuki Isami discovered music at the age of four through the piano. After receiving first prizes from the Toho College of Drama and Music in Tokyo and the Montreal Conservatory of Music, she now pursues a career as a flutist. She has participated in numerous international festivals and performed in various orchestras including the Metropolitan Orchestra of Montreal and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. At the same time, she worked on various projects to promote Japanese music and culture in Canada with instruments such as the shinobue, the koto or the shamisen. She has notably arranged and performed the show Japanese Music: Branches and Roots and TSUKI a musical and visual tale.
Natsuki Hiratsuka
Pianist Natsuki Hiratsuka has been described as “A pianist of great skills and sensitivity” by La Scena Musicale, while Fanfare Magazine writes “She evinces a special sensitivity to the haunting sonorities…” . She has performed in solo and chamber music recitals in Boston, San Francisco, England, Japan, Canada, France and Costa Rica. Her recording of Szymanowski and Shostakovich violin sonatas as well as Lekeu and Franck violin sonatas with violinist Frédéric Bednarz on Metis-Islands Record received rave reviews. Her most recent recording with the music of Giya Kancheli, “Sunny Night”, was released in March 2019.
With
Benoit Fry – Director and photographer
Kyra Shaughnessy – Author, composer and performer
Anjali Patil – Dancer and choreographer
Sonia St-Michel – Dancer and choreographer
Julie Beaulieu – Dancer and choreographer
Chloé Barshee – Actress
Jade Barshee – Actress
Jampa Barshee – Chef
Yuki Isami – Flutist
Natsuki Hiratsuka – Pianist
