Chiroptera, au creux de la main

Geoffrey Badel’s work is deeply influenced by the parallel worlds of deaf culture and the occult. Chiroptera takes us on an initiatory journey to discover a hidden, almost invisible world. The use of symbols and signs emblematic of LSF (French Sign Language) in the workshops encourages us to rethink our relationship with the world and marvel at the richness and diversity of deaf culture. A fascinating universe, where speech is entrusted to gestures and hands.

Through drawings, writings and sculptures, the artist offers a different approach to our perception, centred on the image of the bat. This animal, belonging to the order Chiroptera (chiro meaning “hand” and ptera meaning “wing”), has long been misunderstood, mistreated and associated with superstitious beliefs, and this is still the case today. Geoffrey Badel invites us to take a fresh look at this fascinating animal by exploring the similarities between our hands and their wings. Through his experience, their parallel language reflects for the artist a link between deaf and hard-of-hearing people and bats, which have ‘ears that see’. For the artist, bats also represent a symbol of marginalised beings, for whom he wishes to create spaces of healing.

For the occasion, the workshop space is transformed into a magical cave filled with mysterious symbols and winged creatures with undulating faces. Before starting, the children are invited to discover and decipher the drawings and sculptures on display. Once settled, the mediators are invited to ask them questions about what they perceive, understand and feel in this universe. Following these exchanges and discussions, which are intended to fuel the imagination, the workshop can begin…

Extract from the presentation of the workshop for young audiences