Of our nature

"Of our nature" was inspired by Book II of Lucretius' De rerum natura. This Latin-language poem, written in the first century B.C., is a translation of the atomistic doctrine developed by Epicurus some two centuries earlier. Book II revolves around atomic physics and the constitution of bodies: according to Epicurean doctrine, matter is made up of indivisible particles he called "atoms". These atoms move randomly in a vacuum and can combine to form aggregates of matter that can embody a human being or any other object. Within this materialistic framework, Lucretius puts forward the concept of "clinamen": a spontaneous, random deviation of atoms from their vertical fall in the void, allowing them to collide and generate matter. Epicurus deduced from this atomistic mechanics the absence of divine determinism and proof of the existence of our free will.
This cosmogonic vision is represented by an installation consisting of a column topped by a golden tray containing marbles, and a mirror-screen a few steps away from the column. As the viewer approaches, the tray containing the marbles - representing the atoms of Epicurean doctrine - begins to oscillate. The marbles roll and collide, generating a sonic "wave". Simultaneously, a fragile image of the spectator appears on the screen, as if generated by the movement of the "particles" in the tray. In the absence of movement, the representation of the initial void and isolated particles gradually reappears on the screen.
Les traits si particuliers qui dessinent le contour des silhouettes présentes dans le champ de la camera sont le résultat d’un programme spécifique. 
On retrouve le même procédé dans le triptyque de photos « Berck Plage« , élaborées à partir d’images fixes.