This is me, this is my life in PARIS....
So this is me, Francis Powell, sometimes known as DJ Wise , an artist, writer, poet and musician, amongst other things, living in the ninth district of what is at the moment, a freezing Paris. Just one week ago, it was mild, as if winter was not happening at all this year. In the course of a short period of time, all changed. I have been here for about eight years now, earning my money as many do as an English teacher, teaching often as not business people, so they can communicate with other business people. I also since I have been here, have been involved in many artistic and creative projects. I write music, I can be termed a lap top Dj. My last big event was a big VJ festival, just one week ago. I have a project called 22 Code X. I work...from time to time with a French VJ. The festival proved to be challenging and midway through the set, we had a technical disaster happen, a vital piece of equipment, got knocked to the ground. This was caused by my over-enthusiasm and attempts to dance like a wild dervish. Coupled with this fact, was the realisation in the days that followed that some of the images the VJ projected stoked up quite some arguments among different Vjs......our images are politically highly charged.......this in turn led me to question, how I would like the project to develop. The project is not as I saw it when I first started it....I saw it mainly as an experimental music project. The French Vj has manoeuvred it into being political. This is not to say that I don't think music/creativity can not ally themselves into some powerful political statement. I am not in different minds about what I want with this project. It is potentially a great project and we have dome some good festivals, over the last few years.
I should lot let negativity deter me, in my mission......Paris has served me well, there is so much to see and do here and places where you can play. Last night i saw a small but talented two piece band, in a bar aptly named La Liberty. There was this dude dressed like an American (possibly because he was American) I slyly began to film him, with my little camera, hoping he would not notice and accost me.
Later I went on to a video/VJ festival in a squat. It was surreal, seeing people in a large space sitting on old sofas....watching the videos, the Vj was projecting....
Each little room had something going on......with images being projected........it was a hive of creativity........
I have to balance my life as a creative person....with working as an English teacher....The French sometimes can be hard to please....I was told by my job today...that one of my students had complained about my appearance.......this after many courses with this man, whose trousers go halfway up his legs........
Such pettiness really gets to me, what does this man want a woman with a short skirt and beautiful long legs? This is not the first time I have been stabbed in the back by somebody who thinks he so important. In London I could like how I wanted to look, and nobody gave a damn, but in Paris, things are different and appearance means something. Maybe I will get a slap on the wrist…..a dressing down…..
I live in a small apartment, not far from the Follie Bergere. Where at the moment the play “Cabaret” is on. I would like to go, I like this play, however it is way above my “teachers budget” to afford such luxuries. This week I celebrated my British ness, by going to see a very British film, called “Cashback” which was a fun film, with a real “feel-good factor”. The main character was at Art school, as was I many years ago. However I have never worked in a supermarket.
Tonight, if I can drag myself out into the cold, as well as the unknown, I should be going to a party organized by a site called IQONS, run by some fashion designer. There is a free bar and some Djs….but it starts at some really late hour and most of the week, I am an early riser. However the lure of this party might prove too much, despite the fact that I will have to go on my own, as an American friend feigned illness and jet lag excuse and told me she was going to pass on this potential extravaganza. I can see myself again doing some sly filming……
What will it be like??????
Keep on checking this blog to find out
