les palissades

'video installation, 2022, 15’, stereo sound

 

​During my residency at the Cité internationale des Arts in Paris, I explored the views from La Butte de Montmartre and Parc des Buttes Chaumont, the two highest points in the city. This exploration forms part of a broader audiovisual landscape study in my artistic practice that examines our sensory relationship with open spaces and their societal function as public areas for contemplation.

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Driven by a curiosity about whether physical elevation might also alleviate the nervous system, offering relief from the city's dynamic and chaotic atmosphere. The relentless search for the perfect vantage point—one that would reveal an unobstructed open space—became a focal point of fascination. This pursuit was marked by the persistent presence of natural barriers that obscured the views, evoking a sense of negation within the landscape itself. These obstructions intensified the desire to glimpse beyond, creating an experience centered on the potential of what lies just out of reach. Ultimately, the process gave rise to a meditative tranquility, not in the act of arriving, but in the patient and ongoing search for something that is never fully attained.

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Made during the artist residency of Cité Internationale des Arts de Paris, granted by the Flemish ministry of Culture and Arts. 

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