Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and Steve Gagnon
Architectures of Joy
Literature
Saturday 30 August 2025, 20 h 00
St. Andrew's Church, Sutton
What makes a house habitable? This is the initial question posed in this correspondence, maintained over more than two years.
Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and Steve Gagnon embark on a quest for joy, in a world where it is becoming increasingly difficult to allow themselves to marvel. Following the path of forest moss, the author and writer travel to Japan.
With two voices, and as much humor as tenderness, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and Steve Gagnon make death, anger, sensuality, the profane and the sacred coexist, tracing the fragile path of joy as permission, joy as disobedience, joy as a motor of resistance. Through their correspondence, they craft a modern revolution, a middle finger to human folly, a necklace of a thousand small rescued beauties.
Architectures of Joy is their path of words, the intertwining of two perspectives, two sensibilities, two voices, that touch and unite to collectively re-tame joy.
Biography
Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette is an author, filmmaker, and activist. Her latest novel, Femme fleuve, was published in 2022, as was her most recent feature film, Chien blanc, adapted from Romain Gary’s eponymous novel. She is co-founder of the environmental movement Mères au front. The author of La femme qui fuit co-wrote the acclaimed stage documentary Pas Perdus, which was performed many times in Montreal and Quebec. Anaïs is also working on her next feature film inspired by the life of Pauline Julien, in addition to the correspondences Architectures of Joy with Steve Gagnon.
Steve Gagnon is an actor, author, and director. He became known for his roles in the series Ruptures, Plan B, L’échappée, Ma mère, and in the popular daily show STAT, in addition to playing numerous roles in theater. As an author, he has published: La Montagne rouge, Ventre and En dessous de vos corps, je trouverai ce qui est immense et qui ne s’arrête pas, Je serai un territoire fier and tu déposeras tes meubles, La Montagne blanche, Pour qu’il y ait un début à votre langue, Les étés souterrains, Anna, ces trains qui foncent sur moi. And the children’s book 22 guimauves autour du monde.
