Wednesday, June 23, 2010

FLATEURVILLE: THE BEST THING NOT ON EARTH



Paris, June.

Myself and two of my lovely lady loves are walking around our local neighborhood, searching in vain for a pastry, coffee, a place to smoke and people to watch: Parisian style. We take a few wrong turns and pass a very questionable little lane; homeless to the left, gypsies on the right. Out of nowhere, a canvas of a sultry face peeks out at us from a very non descript building façade.

We take a tentative step in.
A shrill bell goes off.
And we jump into the rabbit hole of Flateurville.


Laurent Godard


Flateurville is the creative baby of Laurent Godard, a writer, painter, actor, architect and dental surgeon. Godard has created in Flateurville the ultimate creative oasis, and not just an oasis; Flatuerville exists as a world of its own.The mythical peoples of Flateurville take residency in a factory in Morocco, an old swimming pool in Paris (swimming pool of Flateurville), a large warehouse in central Manhattan (capital city of Flateurville) via a countryside house in Bourgogne. These sites, originally abandoned, run down or beyond disrepair are transformed by Godard to create the United States of Flateurville.

The site that we happenend to stumble upon (24 cour des Petites Ecuries, situated in the tenth arrondissement of Paris,) is a 600msq old newspaper factory transformed into Marcel’s (a mythical resident of Flateurville’s) playhouse. It also acts as a studio for Godard, a gallery space and an active creative venue for those who know of it on a Thursday night. As you enter this space you are assaulted with an overwhelming amount of creative stimulus.

Flateurville is an orgy of inspiration.



We first stepped foot into a moody forest; this dominates a large room full of twigs, reeds, and shiny plastic foliage, housing a small stage which seduces you over and convinces you to strum, dance and scream on it’s back. Stroll into the games room, which is scattered with Babaar, scruffy bears and decaying dolls; a giant blackboard which lies bare, waits to be used for whatever you wish.

The maze continues....

One definately gets the sense that all this is laid out for the visitors of Flateurville, to set a stage and to peak the creative senses to encourage absolutely everything. In Flateurville one doesn’t need courage to push the boundaries as the boundaries do not exist.

This is the modern day factory.
But better.




The story of Flateurville is complex and mysterious, much like the spaces it inhabits. It would be selfish to tell you much more than this. Find Flateurville and see for yourself.

This is the future.
Turn off your computer.
Turn away from the sterile walls of a gallery.
Get out of the studio.
Get out of the office.
Get out of this life.

Find another one.

In an unsuspecting building in an unsuspecting lane in a world called Flateurville.




24 cours des petits ecuries
Paris 75010
Metro: Strasbourg St. Denis

Thursdays from 6:30 the games begin!

If you cannot make it then you can make an appointment via the website or just drop in as we did. The guardians of Flateurville are super informative and friendly.

All images are courtsey of Carine at Flateurville, copryright 2010
All text copyright of somenewplace 2010

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