Retour d’Islande: From Artwork to Poem
In 2014, we traveled across Iceland together. From that journey, I brought back images, materials, and sensations: black sand, lava, ice, and vast mineral expanses. Back in the studio, I created seven artworks, which Michel saw before inscribing his words upon them. Here, the image precedes the poem and calls it forth.
These artworks are the genesis of Retour d’Islande.
In this 2026 edition, the book unfolds as a leporello (concertina-style), much like a landscape. It does not recount the journey; rather, it captures its imprint. Carborundum, volcanic sands, relief textures, and Falun red bring out the ruggedness and energy of Iceland, while the poem extends its inner resonance.
Nearly a Decade with Michel Butor
Retour d’Islande is part of a collaboration that produced some fifteen books and artist’s books, including Hexagones en désarroi, Carré des météores, Aux jardins de la licorne, Ruines d’avenir, and La Pomme et ses pépins.
For Michel, the book was a realm of experimentation. Sometimes his words inspired my artworks; at other times, my forms and materials paved the way for his writing. A tireless traveler, he had turned the world into a vast territory of discovery. Our exchanges nurtured this creative bond for nearly a decade, culminating in our only trip together—to Iceland in 2014—which also proved to be his final great journey.
Twelve years later, Retour d’Islande rekindles that shared adventure. Publishing this work to mark the centenary of his birth means rediscovering the spirit that drove Michel: an insatiable curiosity, a love of travel, and that rare gift for transforming every discovery and encounter into material for writing.
Event in Nice — Friday, September 25, 2026
To mark this release, Françoise Maréchal-Alligand and I invite you to join us on Friday, September 25, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Romain Gary Heritage Library (Bibliothèque patrimoniale Romain Gary), located at 21 bis Boulevard Dubouchage in Nice.
We will present Retour d’Islande as well as several other works born of my dialogue with Michel Butor, notably Ruines d’avenir and Aux jardins de la licorne. We will discuss their creation, our journey to Iceland, and the unique way we brought a book to life through the interplay of writing and physical material.
An opportunity to discover these books and their history—and, through them, a creative friendship that continues to keep Michel Butor’s words resonating today.
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