The Library of the Senses

Design a pop-up library of the five senses in Montriond + immersive reading and writing workshops, at the intersection of dance and literature. The goal? To create a dialogue between the body and the written word, with emotion, and without any prerequisites.

Multisensory reading and writing (while listening to a piece by Bach, dancing, savoring a madeleine (à la Proust), etc.) is a space of freedom where emotions intertwine to trigger sensations, epiphanies, and memories that can change our lives. The purpose of this project is to put this power in everyone’s hands and to expand access to culture for all. The Library of the Senses, is a socially-oriented project designed to help people discover books in a new way, reconnect with the joy of reading and writing, interpret words in ways beyond mere speech, make reading accessible to all those who feel disconnected from it, and facilitate their access to a wide variety of texts. 1) A Sensory Reading Corner What if we organized the books according to the senses? (*Perfume*, *A Delicacy*, *The Pianist*, *One Last Dance*…). Creating a pop-up library (for the duration of the project) with the help of all neighborhood residents—assembling pallets, painting, arranging the books, slipping in bookmarks—is an opportunity to come together and share. 2) Immersive Workshops What if we added sight, smell, touch, and taste to the experience of reading and writing? By combining bodily memory with intellectual memory, readers would enter an entirely new dimension!

Led by two enthusiasts of dance and writing, the two-hour workshops will be offered for adults and for children ages 5 and up. Guest speakers may also participate (musicians, visual artists, pastry chefs, perfumers, cookie makers…). At the heart of this initiative is the goal of sharing a love of words and dance with the public through an accessible and inclusive approach, designed to spark imagination and creativity. Having already been piloted at the Montriond Library as part of the Printemps de la poésie (for adults) and at the Pully Library (for children), the goal is to replicate and adapt these workshops at other libraries in the city of Lausanne, free of charge. The texts collected during these workshops will be compiled into a printed anthology, available for consultation at each partner library, as well as a subtitled video clip.

9,800

Initially at the Montriond Library; the project may later expand to the Lausanne city library network.

Chorécriture