Boulevard of Fields

So often, when something is “relocated,” it is already too late. Too late for the production of precision instruments, for the manufacture of washing machines, for car factories — even for awareness itself. Once outsourcing begins, we are already in the aftermath: when local companies shut down to move to Asia, when employees are dismissed, when we are told — supposedly — that it is for the sake of reaching beyond.

What is proposed here is a fictional relocation, created through very real instruments. Along this elegant tree-lined avenue, we are immersed for 24 hours in the soundscape of Boulevard de Pérolles. This central artery of Fribourg is a symbol of the upper town, shaped by the new urban plans that accompanied the arrival of the railway in the late 19th century. By cutting a straight line across the ravines, it imposed a completely new organization of space. The city center “relocated” upward, closer to the trains — symbols of mobility and of looking outward. Cities are in constant motion, expanding and adapting to their histories. Today, Boulevard de Pérolles is at once a thoroughfare and a place of gathering, of nightlife, of shopping. It remains an unavoidable axis for the people of Fribourg, and a lasting emblem of the city’s urban identity. Emblematic not only in form, but also in sound.

Guided solely by this sonic flow, this sensory relocation allows us to project ourselves into a city that continues to grow and push outward. More than a warning signal, it is an invitation to reflect in advance — before reality inevitably catches up.

Artistic Conception and Curation: Gilles d’Andrès, Eléonore Varone, François Vermot, Matthieu Amiguet

Produced by: Les Chemins de Traverse, Belluard Bollwerk Festival

The project was part of the 2017 edition of Belluard Bollwerk International and was made possible thanks to support from the Canton of Fribourg’s Cultural Fund, as well as from the Migros Cultural Percentage through the call for projects Art in Unexpected Places.

© Marion Savoy