Seeking out the black holes that surround us – silently interfering, imposing themselves in our heads or hearts, muddling our memories or altering our vision – Edon Descollines, the multi-disciplinary artist, traces an impressionistic constellation around the idea of loss. Loss of memory, loss of identity, loss of housekeys… beyond hierarchy, the performer sketches the creation of the world by connecting his experiences of disappearance and obliteration with a black felt marker. This drawn collection, much like the recording of his internal voices, is an invitation to peer in on his composite parts, on our own composite parts, sometimes in spite of ourselves.
In this solo performance combining video, poetry and dance, Edon creates his second work as the Associate Artist of the company Joe Jack & John. Following Le Magasin ferme, presented in 2021 at the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), he invites us once again into the fascinating world of a neurodivergent artist brimming with creativity.
His cartography of loss encompasses reflections across many themes: the origins of money, the fear of being sucked into the Bermuda triangle, the desire to lose oneself in the metro, the fear of disappearing under a magician’s wand, or even forgetting oneself due to Alzheimer’s. The range of words and images becomes a path along which Edon makes his way between recollection and oblivion, shadow and light, exploring the boundary between himself and the void.
How do we find our place in the world when the black holes sometimes await us where we least expect them? When the unsaid or silent injunctions and fears cloud our internal landscapes and our identities?
The show was presented from September 30th to October 11th 2025 at Espace Libre.
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In 2019, Joe Jack & John established an artistic leadership program permitting artists living with intellectual differences to initiate and direct creation projects of their own. Following a two-year artistic residence, and the presentation of his piece Le magasin ferme, (MAI, 2021), Edon Descollines is diving into a new project.
This project was supported by a two-week residency at the artist-run centre OBORO from January 12 to 26 2024.
Concept, creation and performance: Edon Descollines
Creative enabler and video design: Louise Michel Jackson
Artistic producer, support worker and coach: Étienne Laforge
Sound design and stage management: Arthur Champagne
Set and costume design: Amy Keith
Lighting design: Jean Jauvin
Video integration: Aaron Pollard
Dramaturgical consultant: Sara Fauteux
Production manager: Pénélope Bourque
Technical director: Marie Lépine
Initial creative enabler: Emma-Kate Guimond
Creative collaborator: Paul Patrick Charbonneau
Mentor: Catherine Bourgeois
RELAXED PERFORMANCES
Relaxed performances are open to everyone, particularly adapted to the needs of people on the autism spectrum, people with cognitive limitations, a sensory, neurological or learning disorder, and to people accompanied by newborns. The sound and visual ambiance of the show, as well as the reception, are adapted to create a calmer and more inclusive environment.
There will be relaxed performances on the following dates:
Friday, October 3 2025 at 7:30PM
Saturday, October 4 2025 at 4PM
Friday, October 10 2025 at 7:30PM
Thursday, October 22th 2026 at 20:00PM (Maison de la culture Notre-Dâme-de-Grâce – Monkland)
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
At the end of performance, we invite you to stay to participate in the discussion with the artists of the production:
Wednesday, October 8 2025
ACCESSIBILITY
FOR BLIND AND LOW-VISION PATRONS
Audidescription is the process of orally describing the visual and sensory elements of a work for blind or low-vision audience members to enjoy better access the performance.
Blind and low-vision patrons are invited to a tactile tour of the set one hour before the start of the audio-described performance.
Please contact the Espace Libre box office staff if you are a blind or visually-impaired person who will not be accompanied during the performance – (514) 521-4191
The following performance will be offered with audiodescription:
Wednesday, October 8 2025 at 7:30PM
Thursday, October 22th 2026 at 20:00PM (Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce – Monkland)
This production is not available in Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), nor in American Sign Language (ASL). This production will also not feature surtitles in English. For further information, please contact us : [email protected] or 514-279-9821.
