fr / en

Bruit blanc

In front of a green sofa, artificial and aseptic imitation of nature for an interior space, a screen, failing to transmit an image, shows gray noise: presence of light though evidence of a lack of connection that causes seclusion. This mesmerizing homogeneous phenomenon is swarm and agitation. A droning of locusts surrounds and fills the space, it matches, in an almost organic way, the movements on the screen. Our eyes are drawn like insects on street lights and we find ourselves wavering between drowsiness, nostalgia for summer nights which were teeming with life, and undefined intranquillity while facing a TV set that no longer receives any signal from our community and leaves us alone, a troubling pattern which sets the scene of so many horror movies.

The television, by which we are constantly reminded that we are accountable for climate change and mass extinctions of many species, contributes to light pollution at night which affects biodiversity. It also brings culture change in our relationship to nature and by affecting the quality of sleep, reduces our attention span and awareness. For us, the droning of the locusts can bring up memories of summer nights, but what about future generations who would perhaps never have those memories, or would face a surge of locusts plagues caused by climate changes recalling age-old fears chronicled by ancient mythologies (in which they are perceived as punishment for humans' sins).

The screen transmits no image. We always improve the quality of our network and we now almost never experience this kind of failure but we can fail to pass on the quality of our nights (sound of the locusts or frogs, fireflies' glow, hoot of owls, stars…).

The title refers to the 'bruit blanc' (white noise), a hypnotic and homogeneous sound which can help to fall asleep or concentrate, to the snow on a tv set receiving no signal, but also to the white light of the LED lighting at night which make a background 'noise' that covers fireflies' communication.

<

mosaic