NOTAGES
Detail
Chopin, Étude op.10 #5 “black keys” r.h., m. 1-16, 2015. Paper and acrylic on wood. 20 x 20 cm (7.87 x 7.87 in.)
Chopin, Étude op.10 #5 “black keys” r.h., m. 1-16, 2015 (detail).
Les Haricots, m.4-12, 2016. Paper and cardboard on wood. 20 x 40 cm (7.87 x 15.75 in.)
Les Haricots, m.4-12, 2016 (detail).
Lemoine, Études op.37 nº1&2, 2016. Acrylic, varnish and board on wood. 50 x 70 cm (19.69 x 27.56 in.)
Lemoine, Études op.37 nº1&2, 2016 (detail).
Hanon, le pianiste virtuose exercice nº4, 2017 Acrylic on board on wood. 30 x 30 cm (11.81 x 11.81 in.)
Installation view: La Mesure du Temps at H Gallery, Paris, 2017
The Notages series originated from an invitation to participate in an exhibition on monochrome. The word “notage” in French refers to the act of recording tunes for music boxes. For these pieces, I used repetitive piano exercises—often considered somewhat tedious—by composers such as Lemoine or Hanon.
In Notages, I explore the musical score, itself a notation of time, as both a visual and tactile object. Each hole drilled into the material corresponds to a note, and the physical act of drilling—demanding precision, patience, and discipline—mirrors the experience of a professional pianist. The absence of rhythmic or harmonic indications allows the repetitive patterns of these exercises to emerge visually, highlighting the underlying structure and meditative quality of musical repetition.