ARTIST’S APPROACH
François Couture explores visual art as an alternative form of language, and his artworks manifest themselves when his words are not sufficient to capture an idea. His works convey an allegorical feeling, yet often inherently contradict themselves. They do not have a linear meaning, as if they did, they would have been written instead. His practice has led him to explore different mediums, since for him, the idea dictates the form.
THE ARTWORK
The breathing sequencer
Perfermance, 2017
A human without technology.
The myth of the natural is gaining popularity and has smoothly infiltrated our society, and the message is often the same: technology distances us from our humanity. This ideology somehow flirts with an increasing wave of anti-intellectualism. Whether it be our fear of vaccines, the glorification of organic food over GMO’s, or simply the conviction that the overuse of cellphones in public transit will be the cause of social decay, our era tirelessly nurtures unfounded fears of technological advancements.
Against this agitation, McLuhan said that any invention is before anything else an extension of our human body. This performance is enough to revolt many, yet the mechanism is nothing new and poses no threat of its own. Yet it provokes this aversion, since many members of our society do require some form of technology to survive on a daily basis. How many of us would die without insulin, EpiPens, pacemakers. Those who enjoy the myth of the natural self are those who are able.
Curator : Art Souterrain
