CONFERENCES
After his work research for his publications, or his many travels, David Balade has prepared different conferences or talks related to the symbolic worlds. Such conferences were given during various festivals, exhibitions or cycles of talks.
Since 2003, with more than fifteen books on celtic motifs topics published by Editions Ouest-France (link to publications), David Balade appears as one of the French specialists in Celtic graphics and symbolism. From his readings, he draw a serie of conferences, all in images and accessible to a general public, in which he unravels the specificities of this fascinating visual universe.
History of celtic art
Based on the screening of 250 photos, during approximately an hour and a half, the conference presents the history of Celtic art from the 8th century B.C. till the twelfth century CE, from its homeland in Central Europe to its last occurrences on the territories of Atlantic Europe. Depending on the location of the reading, local Celtic archaeological artefacts can be shown and commented.
Conference accessible to the general public.
The mystery of celtic symbols and motifs
Based on the screening of 250 photos, during about an hour and a half, the conference presents a decoding of the main Celtic symbols (spirals, triskels, interlacings, labyrinth, Celtic cross, bestiary). The presentation traces the origins of these symbols, their importance and possible interpretation in the Celtic world, and finally a more universal approach to these symbols. Depending on the location of the reading, local Celtic archaeological artefacts can be shown and commented through this symbology.
Conference accessible to the general public.
Amazing celtic and insular ancient books
Based on the screening of 200 photos, during about an hour and a half, the conference presents a rather exhaustive panorama of the most beautiful illuminated books of Celtic tradition (mainly, Ireland), among which the Book of Kells appears as an inescapable reference. Depending on the location of the service, some of the books of libraries or neighboring museums may be commented.
Conference accessible to the general public.
Celtic and Breton identity symbols
Based on the screening of 150 photos, for about an hour and a quarter, the conference offers an exhaustive panorama of symbols of identity in Brittany and Celtic lands: triskels, hévud, Celtic crosses, ermines, Gwen ha Du (Breton flag ). Between history and spirituality, David Balade exposes his vision of the symbols he as been studying for several years.
Conference accessible to the general public.
Alongside his work on Celtic motifs, David Balade, as a great traveler, is also interested in different symbolical worlds, and their mythological contexte. Between local specificities and universality, the artist invites to a deeper appreciation of a variety of topics, through the following conferences.
Motifs and patterns in Nature
From the infinitely large to the infinitely small, we can observe in Nature fascinating regularities in the organization of forms: like the spirals of fluids, the paving of crystals, the ocelli and stripes, the fractals and other various branching ….
Between art and science, David Balade proposes, during one hour, through a screening of 150 visual documents, a conference on these patterns observable in Nature.
Conference accessible to the general public.
The mandalas: universal structures, art and therapeutic forms
In recent years, mandalas have become standards in coloring books for children and adults alike. During an hour approximately, based on a screening of 150 visual documents, David Balade offers a presentation on the origins of these diagrams, their universality, and their involvement in psychotherapy.
Conference accessible to the general public.
Mural paintings of Kerala
From his trip to Kerala, David Balade has collected many images of the wall paintings that make the specificity of the temples of this state of southern India. After meetings some of the artists heirs of this thousand-year-old tradition, he drew this conference to show the beauty of these parietal paintings and their connection to South Asian arts.
Conference accessible to the general public.
Symbolism of the plants in Japan
Based on the images of his illustrations of the Taketori Monogatari (story of the bamboo cutter), David Balade presents, with the support also of some 150 visuals documents (photos, pictorial works), the keys to understand the symbolism of plants at Japan: evanescence of the cherry blossom, nostalgia of the maple leaf, robustness and suppleness of the bamboo …. This presentation of one hour will be poetic, didactic, and sometimes playful.
Conference accessible to the general public.