Interview with Philomène Longpré
By Robert Winters
MONTREAL - Philomène Longpré’s fascinating art is an attempt to explore the relationship between physical reality and the virtual world that increasingly intersects with it as technology becomes increasingly sophisticated and expands its reach into the fabric of our lives, and our imaginations.
“I’m always trying to connect the virtual world to the physical world,” Philomène said in an interview while visiting Montreal to present two compelling shows in early 2007 at two leading-edge galleries, one at the Parisian Laundry and the other at Galérie de l’UQAM, which continues until March 31.
One influence of Philomène’s work has been Carl Jung, who explored the universe of images in the subconscious mind and developed a system for understanding archetypes in the individual and collective consciousness.
In her Illusio installation at Galérie de l’UQAM, “which explores the language of colour,” the character “is trapped by the shadow of its environment,” she said, adding that “the character takes form and represents the colour the visitor triggers.” This installation “is a metaphor for being over by its own environment,” she added.
When visitors arrive, various colours are triggered, with light coming through 365 two-inch holes. The installation is described on her website as “an interactive video system where visitors trigger different emotional stages of a virtual character. The installation explores the character’s predicament of being trapped by the shadow of its own environment.”
Her Formica installation, which was shown at Parisian Laundry, explores “the process of communication, including the multiplication of all the links that everybody builds up.” The piece seeks to trigger “memories and links we have with our history,” she said. The character in the video projection system is played by Philomène in costume. She filmed herself with a remote control using a video camera on a tripod. One goal of the interactive video system is “to create emotional inks with a virtual person,” she said.
In fact, a visitor to Formica’s dark cavern below Parisian Laundry had an uncanny sense that the character was alive and could respond in unpredictable ways to movements within her space.
“My pieces are not complete without the viewer,” she said, adding that her research is about non-conventional screens that become the environment for virtual characters.”
The next step for Philomène is to develop systems that communicate among themselves, rather than only with the visitor.
During her recent MFA studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, Philomène was advised by three key artists: Tiffany Holmes, chair of Art and Technology, Eduardo Kac and John Manning. It was an exciting environment, with visiting artist graduates returning to the school to interact with the students, she said.
Philomène’s website is at : http://www.philox.net/en/formica