Colour video, mute. 3’55”. Video installation.
As part of a broader research on extinction, I have started to explore the lifestyles of jaguars at the Vincennes Zoo. Where, in the past, human zoos presented indigenous communities from my country, today one finds species whose indigenous status is debated in relation to the colonial history of South American territories. (Jaguars are indigenous to French Guiana, a French colonial territory.)
The jaguars kept there are completely deprived of their camouflage ability, as the museum’s “living collection” exhibition setup demands extreme visibility for its visitors. The large glass panes, the only part of their enclosure that is effectively soundproofed, force the jaguars to seek refuge from the overwhelming noise near the glass.
Spotless is a videographic and installation research project that seeks, in a diplomatic and essentially symbolic manner, to restore the jaguars’ capacity for camouflage and evasion from human gaze by eliminating the noise of visitors and passers-by from the zoo. The configuration of their enclosure also reflects the imaginary of the world as perceived by the jaguar, highlighting a dark area of scientific knowledge.
This research is being developed in collaboration with Anne Lise Dauphiné More
Modelisation of instalation view. Five glasses overlapped, posed to a white or black wall. Variable dimensions