The science art installation MICRO-RESIDENCE QUARANTINE explores life of confinement during quarantine. The quarantine experience, forced upon billions of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has greatly impacted most people around the globe either physically, economically or psychologically. This installation is a sociological and psychological art piece that invites its’ audience to renew its experience of quarantine through the perspective of an observer looking in.
In the Micro-Residence Quarantine, participants get to observe and compare the life of two different samples of harmless infectious agents (chosen with the help of the scientists of TisBIO Laboratory) confined in a model building printed in 3D. The building will host two different samples of the same type of microscopic creature such as viruses, bacteria, fungus or parasites, in an ecosystem in which it can survive. The confined ecosystem will be divided or replicated so that there are different quarantine spaces for the two different samples. Thus, the quarantined eco systems and samples inside will be the same type but the audience will be able to see if/how the microscopic creatures, divided into two teams, evolve and react differently during their confinement.
Next to the installation building model hosting the infectious agents, a screen or projections will present a film of the two teams of confined agents living their life. TakT’s science art video iis conceived as a reality TV show of the microscopic world in quarantine. The infectious agents will be confined in the installation in which the audience will be able to see how they live and adapt to their quarantine life on screen. The experience will be intensified by a sound landscape coming through speakers that will create the atmosphere of the hosts lives with jingles, folley, sound effects and a narrator’s voice commenting the hosts actions. The art video will mime the aesthetic and design of a reality show, transposing the sociological concerns of the observation of confined and isolated people to infectious agents quarantined.
Conceived by TakT in Paris, during the French quarantine (beginning on March 17th 2020), MICRO- RESIDENCE QUARANTINE is both a remembrance and a reflective healing art piece. By freely walking outside of the building and watching the world of the infectious agents confined inside as a TV show, this installation allows its audience to experiment and enjoy a reverse of the global wide pandemic . The act of re-creating the quarantine situation by changing the point of view and balance of power can renew the perception of this anxiogenic period and put it in perspective.
Micro Residence Quarantine is an invitation to give visibility to the microscopic forms of life that we don’t tend to acknowledge despite their direct impact on our lives. This art installation explores the isolation, fragility and response of the world to this pandemic and reflects the new “Technopological” age of the 21stcentury. It is the first time in human history where people around the world are constantly online, uploading their own lives as a reality TV show and trying to connect with as many strangers as possible.
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
The interdisciplinary art project MICRO-RESIDENCE QUARANTINE is an imaginary form of sociological and psychological experimentation through the mixing of natural sciences and artistic expressions. In reality TV, one can observe the sociological and psychological composition of the modern culture. They reflect social norms and ideologies through the structure of a group evolving under constraints. These shows also push the boundary of what’s morally justified which tends to be the underlying basis of either the plot, conflict or results of the show.
This Science Art project is a transposition of such a codified system to the microscopic world. By showing different patterns of social behaviors and their psychological effects on the individuals and the group: coalition, support, exclusion, assistance, treason, competition, fighting, mating, etc. we aim to forge a fake sociology of infectious agents through our reality TV show.
The infectious agents are humanized in part thanks to the civilized environment of the building in which they are hosted. The humanization also comes from the fake reality show which will ascribe motives to their actions through narration and montage choice. In Reality TV, there is an inherent basis of competition and the constant questioning and pushing of moral boundaries to achieve the goal of “winning”. The different behavioral results of the infectious agents experiencing quarantine highlight the gap between the confined life conditions of people.
Forced confinement is a physical and psychological burden that has been shared by countless of individuals across the world. It will leave its trace in people’s memory all around the globe and could potentially reshape the future of mankind. By reversing the perspectives from subject to observer, the audience can help process the psychological toll of the pandemic and the ensuing isolationism.
The psychological toll of isolationism is one of great power, it is even considered a form of torture. In the book 1984, Orwell shows not only the mental toll it can have but also how it can break down the fabric of entire societies. Through a scientific lens, the MICRO-RESIDENCE QUARANTINE attempts to bring to light a pondering and reflection of isolationism in a manner that is positive and potentially healing.
THE BUILDING
The model building of the Micro-Residence is designed with specific scientific conditions and aesthetics. The style echos the characteristics of its inhabitants and creates a suitable ecosystem for the infectious agents. Thearchitecturedesign,materialandscalecanbealteredanddeterminedaccordinglytothe choice of the host, exposition and available tools.
The building model is created as a safe and solid structure that can be easily assembled or disassembled. It will host the infectious agent in a closed ecosystem but will contain an insert so that we can renew the infectious agents over time and/or when needed. In order to create such a unique self-sufficient environment, which also artistically and aesthetically represents the infectious agent confined inside, TakT has collaborated with the scientists of TisBIO Laboratory.
THE SCIENCE ART REALITY SHOW
Micro Residence Quarantine is a transposition of the infectious agent and the scientific data used to study them with the worldwide phenomenon of reality TV. The fake reality show following the quarantine life of the infectious agents will be displayed on a big screen next to the structure. It will be an artistic montage of videos done by TakT showing the actions of the infectious agents taken during the art residency at TisBIO Laboratory.
The faux science art reality show takes a look at the life of these isolated participants confined in the close space of the microscopic world. It also artistically reimagines and recreates the direction of the art video by paying homage to various structures of traditional mainstream reality TV. Through the prism of TakT’s own artistic expression, the video will include fake credits, logo, theme tune, and a voice commenting the actions of the sulfurous participants to the show (interactions, inclusion or exclusion of the group, fights, reproduction, etc.)
This pastiche uses footage of the active infectious agents inside our quarantine with visible actions interspersed by 3D animations of the logo and visual effects. The sound landscape of the video also mimics reality shows thanks to the music and narration. The fake reality show will be short (15minutes max) so that the visitors of the final exhibition can see it whole. The percussion and many of the sound fx used was recorded at the TISBIO Science Labs at Lille University, France using lab equipment which TakT proceeded to sample, manipulate, record and compose with.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The imagery and the audio both use the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI). For the visuals, the help of AI was used to track and help separate the different bacteria. In audio, AI was used in frequency manipulation in mastering the track.
NFT
Micro Residence Quarantine also has it’s own dedicated NFT. TakT believes this is the best way to form value in the digital age for the art buyer/investor while simultaneously giving it’s audience a physical art piece. By having a dedicated NFT the buyer has a coded and unique serial that cannot be copied or replicated and allows a digital tracking of the art piece for resell and royalty value.
If you would like to understand/see more on Residence Quarantine please follow the link below. We have also included a list of Science Labs, University partners and a TakT CV which includes shows and awards recently awarded..
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f6KHzaOgzwy50jHFsPbMF9PdMLj-NQ5C/view?usp=sharing
