Seafaring Adventurers
Institut du Monde Arabe & Mucem

Sisygambis signed the audiovisual works for this grand exhibition at the Institut du monde arabe and the Mucem (2016-2017). The exhibition highlights the ancient history of trades between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is there, between these two locations isolated from each other, that sailing adventures forged our present day.

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Seafaring Adventurers - Institut du monde arabe

"Approach by the sea"

Pure sounds and images. Flee the lands of language to immerse into the Indian Ocean.

"Tempest"

When the sea enrages, white and black of wrath, a wall of waves and sounds, gigantic sways of water mixed with thunder… With Yann Arthus-Bertrand images, Christine Coulange composed the music of oceanic violence.

"Comoros, the song of the sea"

3’54
Anthropologist Damir Ben Ali reveals the depths of the Comorian languages : the language is representative of all of the come-and-go journeys to find new sources of civilization.

Seafaring Adventurers - Mucem

"Approach by the sea"

Leave the lands of language, to immerse into the Indian Ocean.
Follow the dull movements of the boat, under full sail, cut through the turquoise monochrome and the lingering wave, rattle with the ropes and spring out with the dolphins. Dream of yourself as a child of the high seas…

"Approach by the sea"

And then, approach the island like discovering a continent, ride the coast quietly, reach the stretches of the lagoon, where birds are taking off like a single cloud, an array of black and white wings…

"Approach by the sea"

to slide over the peaceful mangrove, the calm flat water sleeping under the branches. Peaceful, yes. Like a possible rest, approaching these lands where explorers and migrants still tend to accost.

"Zanzibar, at the crossroads of the world"

5’24
Professor Abdul Sheriff, Zanzibar Indian Ocean Research Institute (ZIORI) Director, indicates the importance and singularity of Zanzibar : through the decades, this small island from the Indian Ocean has been a strategic place for migrations, bounds and blending of cultures.