SAMURAIYONARA     2010

FaitMaison 14

Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Videography MAXIME HUNEAULT

THIS IS A TRIBUTE piece dedicated to Winston Velez.

   It is a collaborative piece just as Winston's art was. Both his music and his involvement with a Cebu City, Philippines based performance art group, XO?.

   We were in primary school together. We found ourselves together again in college, in a band. Winston by then was a shining star infamous for such vigorous drumming that, in some notorious instances that earned him the status of personna non grata in some bars, became too much for the drum sets.

   He stayed on with the band. I left. The musician's life was too much for me. I was getting into visual art instead.

   Our paths crossed again years later in performance art, with XO?

   The collaboration is mostly improvised, a method that Winston, as mainly a jazz drummer was familiar with.

   We didn't talk much about performance theory, but in practice we found ourselves on the same wavelength. (See 23 QUESTIONS).

   The performance has references to the ethos of the Japanese samurai, the ultimate professional.

   At the peak of Winston's career the ultimate dream for many Filipino musicians was to play in Japan. I don't know if he did play there, but he played in many other Asian cities.

   While seppuku is, for sure, a violent end, the violence is secondary to the samurai's strict sense of honor, loyalty and art.

   Performed with Montreal artist, Dennis Lessard.