Les Virtualistes
"Nous vous rappelons qu’il existe d’autres possibilités"

Interactive Loos

All the versions of this article: [English] [français]

Interactive Loos is questionning the notion of "intimacy" or privacy. Does intimacy still exist in our electronically surveilled societies ? We are watched wherever we are in real time, wether we want it or not. Where are the limits of privacy ? Is it easier or more acceptable to show our sex than our face ? Is the one who watches a voyeur or just a "surveilleur" ?

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This VR performance consists in a camera set up in the toilets of a private place , the loos in english. The camera is facing the toilets and filming the lower-body. Thus preserving the anonymity of the persons, and their free-will as well, as a black tissu allowed them to mask the lens. The camera signal was sent in real time to a pair a virtual reality goggles, available in the corner of the atelier. Without indications. (S)he who dons them finds him(her)self "in the closet" watching an empty toilet or the intimacy of a half-body.

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This performance was shown in a private exhibition "Margalit at Atau’s" (Paris X) in 1997.
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We noted two intriguing facts

  • a number of persons did not see the camera (the size of a sugar box)
  • some people were convinced they were watching a pre)recorded video. étaient convaincus de regarder une vidéo. Why ? To avoid beeing a voyeur ?

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Voluntarily, we dont publish any images of this performance, as it’s object was not voyeurism.