Silex Day

Sunday, September 21: VAREILLES (89) – Silex Day n°6. From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Maquis de Vareilles. What can we do with all this flint? In the Pays d’Othe, there are flints everywhere, there are piles and piles of them, there are so many that they have to be removed to cultivate the land, plus they cut, they damage tools, they start fires, they prevent carrots from being straight and potatoes from being round, we don’t know what to do with them anymore, we hate them or at best we ignore them. Apart from the fact that there were the knapped flints, the flint walls, apart from the fact that artists love them, represent them, magnify them, apart from the fact that if you look closely they are beautiful, that they have incredible shapes, apart from the fact that if you look closely, there are plenty of uses, inventions, innovations, diversions, possible fantasies. We are sitting on a treasure that we do not even know but perhaps the flint is gold… So artists, craftsmen, scientists, engineers, inventors, experimenters, tightrope walkers, collectors, tinkerers, jugglers, dreamers, researchers, finders, poets, designers, musicians, gardeners, land artists, local scholars, fakirs, rummagers, come and propose, share, exchange your knowledge and your ideas for the knowledge, rehabilitation and valorization of the flint of the Pays d’Othe. If you do not yet know this unique event in the world dedicated solely to flint, you can go to the page dedicated to previous Silex Days to get an idea: https://www.facebook.com/silexday We invite you to participate in this edition, offer us your creations, conferences, finds, collections, ideas, games, texts, etc… scholarly, artistic, playful, poetic, offbeat, technical, musical, ingenious, crazy, pareidolic, gourmet, Othean, etc… related to flint. Exhibitors: Photo-Club of Villeneuve l’Archevêque, Philippe Duval Musée Doux Dingue sculptures, Paul Ténèze flint and painting, Sylvie Fouquet photos, Marianne Olry jewelry inspired by flint. Program: 3 p.m.: Silexophone Gonzalo Campo, professional percussionist, created the “Silexphone” for Silex Day 2021 with the help of Daniel Buthod-Ruffier, since then the Silexophone has been integrated into several shows. Gonzalo offers you a 20-minute set to help you discover the incredible possibilities of this unique instrument. 4 p.m.: conference “Silex and Pays d’Othe, such a long history” by Louis Poulhès. Silex and Pays d’Othe: Louis Poulhès is an agrégé and doctor in history. Former Regional Director of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) of Burgundy. Author of the book: Le Pays d’Othe, une si longue histoire (October 2023). 5 p.m.: flint knapping demonstration by Daniel Buthod-Ruffier, amateur archaeologist and experimental and experienced flint knapper. 6:30 p.m.: “4 back-to-school songs, prehistory trend!” by Pascal Genneret Contact: contact@lemaquisdevareilles.fr – +33 (0)3 86 88 31 15