"Temporality" invites us to deconstruct the very concept of "time".
Crédits photos : Collectif AKA
The AKA collective, a group of two artists, invites us to consider the impact of technology on society. In ‘Temporality’, they invite us to deconstruct our image of time. In an interactive installation, they explore the interaction between real and virtual time, immersing the viewer in a space of contemplation. “Temporality” will be exhibited on April 11-14, 2024 as part of the Recto VRso festival of immersive and interactive art.
“Temps” vs “durée”
The two artists, Adam Peregovits and Kavya Satyakumar, drew their inspiration from the philosophical research and thoughts of Henri Bergson. He contrasts “temps” (time) and “durée” (duration): according to him, time is a repetition because it can be measured – in hours, in minutes. Duration, on the other hand, is subjective because it is intimate to each individual and is experienced differently by each person. Duration is specific to an individual, to a state of mind, to a society and even to circumstances.
In “Temporality”, Peregovits and Satyakumar invite us to focus on the experience we feel and live. The user is immersed in an abstract universe. Abstract art is at the heart of the work of the two artists, who want above all to create moments of contemplation and reflection. “Temporality” is an interactive installation in which hand tracking allows users to trigger waves of particles with the movement of their hands.
A new approach to time concept
The abstract images that the user creates with his hands represent this malleability of time, and thereby refer to the opposition between sensation and measurement that Bergson makes explicit in his vision. Once again in this work, the boundaries between real and virtual time are blurred. It is the user who controls ‘time’, becoming involved in the temporal narrative. “In ‘Temporeality’ we invite our audience to contemplate on the experience of time and what it means to be truly ‘present’ in the moments that pass us by.“
In the end, this ‘time’ is not real time as we might think. It is virtual because it is not based on sensations and feelings like ‘duration’. It is tangible, quantifiable. The two artists raise the question: is the reality or virtuality of time a malleable, subjective experience? They explain that “‘Temporeality’ seeks to explore a world where both ‘temp’ and ‘durée’ exist in symbiosis to influence and affect each other. In this space the passing of time is dictated by how the user interacts with the space to influence the ‘durée’ of the experience.”
“Temporality” will be exhibited from 11 to 14 April at the Recto VRso festival, alongside the international VR/AR exhibition, Laval Virtual. The interactive installation is part of a selection of 15 other international works.
