THE WORK OF DAYS

Synopsis

A huis clos shot in the intimacy of the artists’ studio, the film spans two years, during which time we get to observe them as they go about their daily work. We never leave the studio, unless it is to make our way to another studio, an extension of their own. There, we find the nitric acid baths and presses used by Paule Mainguy, a long-time collaborator who trained under François-Xavier, to make the etchings. This marks our initiation to the art and gestures of copper etching, a centuries-old craft handed down from master to student in the secret space of the workshop. Here, the artist’s work is that of a craftsman whose gestures, repeated thousands of time over, seek to give shape to a work that, it is hoped, will transcend them. These daily, prosaic gestures aspire to capture an absolute and a beauty that it is impossible to describe in words. They are the expression of a quest for both the other and oneself, a quest that is perhaps found at the heart of all artists’ work.

Credits

Cinematography, Sound recording, Research : Bruno Baillargeon

Editing : René Roberge

Sound editing and Mix: Clovis Gouaillier

Written, Directed and Produced by : Bruno Baillargeon

Financial partners

Le conseil des arts et des Lettres du Québec (CALQ)

Aide au cinéma indépendant du Canada  / ONF

BeeBop Studios

CIBL

Canal SAVOIR