Perhaps you have seen him on the streets of Kyoto, or haunting the cafes and bars. Burgundian, bearded, black-clad and oft beturbaned, Philippe Goulier (AKA: Mouhl Al Wahid) is an artist, craftsman, cook and teacher. He also happens to be a very fine friend. Later this month he will be holding an exhibition of his work at his atelier north of Gojo. The other night I interviewed him on MSN Messenger about his background…
michael: Right, first question: I have to ask you, why “Mouhl Al Wahid”?
Mouhl Al Wahid: eh eh
michael: … why did you choose this name for yourself?
Mouhl Al Wahid: the story is quite long… back in the days. I was maybe 10 years old
michael: go on
Mouhl Al Wahid: Well mouhl…
In french Moule means mussels, it was given to me as a nickname when I was a boy scout
michael: because?
Mouhl Al Wahid: At that time I used to be a gymnast, training everyday, lots of crying and suffering from this nazi teacher. I went to the french championship actually ! OHHH such a long time ago
so I was VERY supple these days, and as you know a mussel is an animal that can bend and close itself one part onto another. Like the kind of things I used to do when I was supple ( legs behind the head, … )
michael: oh right…. What about “Al Wahid”?
Mouhl Al Wahid: Al wahid is one of the 99 names of god
michael: so … you are God?
Mouhl Al Wahid: no, but it means the one, the all inclusive, the indivisible
michael: the indivisible mussel?
Mouhl Al Wahid: I liked this idea of “indivisible”. It doesn’t matter if I am right or wrong, I am who I am, I won’t change my mind about many things even though I know some of my points of views are immature, utopian, or stupid… I am indivisible; the soul, spirit, beliefs…
michael: cool.
next question
Mouhl Al Wahid: ok
michael: Can you tell me briefly about your background as an artist?
Mouhl Al Wahid: sure
My grand dad was doing some wood work, and my dad too is always making things. Since I’m a child I have been in this kind of craftsman environment… I loved it from the start
michael: go on
Mouhl Al Wahid: I started to draw since a very young age, and never stopped. In school I was the best of my class
michael: then…
Mouhl Al Wahid: Then I studied for 1 year in les beaux-arts in my hometown… but I found it very boring and useless so I quit…
and then I did some works for cafes, restaurants…
michael: what kind of works…?
Mouhl Al Wahid: A few years ago I made the design of a bar in south korea, and some friend’s apartment design in London and France
And I never got paid for anything
michael: haha
Mouhl Al Wahid: Shame isn’t it !
michael: you need some business sense to go along with your artistic talents huh?
what fields of art do you specialise in?
Mouhl Al Wahid: Well, I’m very curious, these days I love traditional ink paintings, I started oil paintings too. I like to work with natural products such as coffee, wine, soil…
I am more and more interested in volumes…
michael: volumes?
Mouhl Al Wahid: Sculptures, 3D objects. Painting is great but at the end of the day it’s always flat !
I will have some potteries for my exhibition
I designed them and a friend is making them
michael: ah yes the exhibition - I want to talk about that later…. can you tell me something about previous exhibitions?
Mouhl Al Wahid: As a wannabe artist, I have to admit that I am a beginner. Throughout these years in different countries I have always given what I did to my friends or family
michael: yeah, you’ve given some stuff to me too
Mouhl Al Wahid: I like to give to the people I like.
As a seller it all started in Kyoto in 2004
michael: Who are your typical customers?
Mouhl Al Wahid: I’m still waiting to have customers eh eh !!
michael: haha… so as a struggling artist in Kyoto - how do you earn your keep?
… your living? …your crust? …your daily bread?
Mouhl Al Wahid: Mostly I teach French, I sell food on local markets, and sometimes I teach how to cook french patisserie
michael: oh you teach cooking too? I didn’t know that…
Mouhl Al Wahid: surviving quoi !
Philippe has a popular food stall selling cakes, pies and preserves at the “Tezukuri-ichi” (Home-made Market) at Chionji, just north of Hyakumanben on the 15th of every month.
In Part Two of this interview we will talk more about Japan and about Philippe’s upcoming exhibition.
The exhibition will be held at his atelier north of Gojo from September 23rd to October 9th - 11:00 to 19:00
To get there: walk north from Gojo Bridge along Kawabata Street and take the first turning to the right. Keep walking for about five minutes, you will see a red katakana サウナ sign on your left, turn left again and enter the first machiya lane on your left. Philippe’s house is at the bottom of the lane.
