Annette Messager collectionneuse: Les Approches

Annette Messager, collector: The Approaches

L’homme au pull rayé

Elle en a assez de se taire,
aujourd’hui elle lui dirait qu’elle a rarement vu des yeux aussi clairs avec des cheveux si noirs,
que cela lui donne un air mi enfantin mi sérieux très surprenant,
voila exactement ce qu’elle lui aurait dit si elle lui avait parlé.

The man in the striped jumper

She's tired of holding her tongue,
today she'd tell him that she's rarely seen eyes so light with hair so black,
that this gives him a half-childish, half-serious look, which is very surprising,
that's exactly what she would have told him if she had talked to him.

L’homme de 45 ans

Elle en a assez de se taire,
elle lui dirait qu’aujourd’hui il porte son pantalon à carreaux gris qu’elle préfère à celui d’hier, mais qu’elle aime bien aussi celui qu’il portait jeudi,
qu’elle a d’ailleurs trouvé des échantillons de tissu correspondants,
et qu’elle aime les regarder et les toucher quelquefois,
mais que peut-être ils peuvent se revoir ici demain à la même heure car il semble très pressé maintenant,
voila exactement ce qu’elle lui aurait dit si elle lui avait parlé.

The 45-year-old man

She's tired of holding her tongue,
she'd tell him that she likes better the grey chequered-patterned trousers he's wearing today than those from yesterday, but that she also likes the ones he wore on Thursday,
that she actually found some samples of matching fabric,
and that she likes to look at them and touch them every now and then,
but that maybe they could meet up here tomorrow at the same time, as he seems so pressed for time right now,
that's exactly what she would have told him if she had talked to him.

Le jeune homme à la sacoche

Elle en a assez de se taire,
aujourd’hui elle lui dirait qu’il a une démarche très souple et assurée,
presque royale,
que sa sacoche semble vide et que son ceinturon lui plait énormément,
voila exactement ce qu’elle lui aurait dit si elle lui avait parlé.

The young man with the bag

She's tired of holding her tongue,
today she'd tell him that he walks with a very graceful and confident stride,
almost like royalty,
that his bag seems empty and that she really likes his belt,
that's exactly what she would have told him if she had talked to him.

L’homme aux manches retroussées

Elle en a assez de se taire,
elle lui dirait qu’il a bien raison de ne pas porter de veston aujourd’hui,
il fait si lourd et la rue est tellement agitée à cette heure là,
voila exactement ce qu’elle lui aurait dit si elle lui avait parlé.

The man with his sleeves rolled-up

She's tired of holding her tongue,
she'd tell him that he was right not to wear a suit today,
it's so muggy out there and the street is so busy at this hour,
that's exactly what she would have told him if she had talked to him.