multiplicity | cité de l’immigration | Paris 2oo7

“All people are talking beings”, all are equally likely to be affected by political statements and literary writing, of being wrenched by this encounter from their “natural destination, which is to produce their life, by letting others, who are entitled to govern, govern.” Jacques Rancière in “Prendre la parole” Malte Martin.

For the opening of the Cité nationale de l’histoire de l’immigration, triptychs sporting writings taken from our literary heritage and from sources in the Cité network (encompassing civil society and researchers) informed the areas of the CNHI with a “theatre of words”, where our imaginary and collective representations of immigration raised questions. Its acoustic equivalence was an installation in the Network’s kiosk. In it were broadcast five loops — where reports and questions to do with immigration reverberated with each other and confronted the ear of each visitor. These two devices symbolized the presence of civil society at the heart of the establishment and its role in the construction of the Cité, by the introduction of an Agora where the Network contributes to the lasting and permanent questioning on this issue… Laden, to start with, with colonial identity, it behooved us to underline the change of historical destination of this building at the moment of its opening. From the Metro exit, the words on 3x4 meters pages explained the new “manifesto” to the public come for the citizen’s inauguration of the Cité. This installation — also the culmination of an experimental approach in the neighbourhoods — was an opportunity to contribute, thanks to the Agrafmobile approach, to the emergence of a place of exchange of national dimension. Not without difficulty…