Pim'po is essentially an onomatopoeia illustrating a movement composed of a jump and a fall. When we say it, we can see that it has a propulsive attack, a slight suspension (on the 'm') and a sudden decay. Like a germ, it has a complete structure and an explosive potential. I find the slight moment of suspension between the jump and the fall to be particularly interesting. It reminds me of the state of weightlessness that one experiences when a swing reaches the peak of its movement and its chains become slack because of a momentary absence of gravity or centrifugal force, just before the Earth pulls us back towards it. Pim'po is therefore a movement of the air, unexpected as a squall, that wishes to stir us and to destabilize us.

Many thanks to the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec for its vital support.

Michel Frigon

Pim'po was among the finalists for the Opus prize given to the creation of the year (2003).