Journalist Claire Richard has written a review of How to build a world that does not collapse two days later at Maison Populaire. Simulacra, the first exhibition of three is curated by Marie Koch and Vladimir Demoul. Titled "Comment bâtir un univers qui ne s’effondre pas deux jours plus tard" the piece appeared in Rue89 on January 26th, 2016. According to Claire Richard the exhibition "brings together the American author Phillip K. Dick and young artists, for a critical dive into our virtual worlds."
Below is an excerpt:
Except, obviously, adds Philip K. Dick with one imagines the illuminated eye, him, what he likes, it is precisely to build universes that collapse. Dick is a firm believerof the regenerative powers of chaos: "Do not think - and here I am being very very serious - do not think that order and stability are always a positive think in society."
Two works in particular offer some hope by introducing disorder in worlds that appear solid and overly-regulated.
Following Bit, by artists Coll.eo, takes place in Liberty City, the fictional city introduced by the Grand Theft Auto series. They reproduced a 1969 performance by Vito Acconci in New York which featured the artist following strangers in public space for as long as possible. They produced a Vito-like avatar in GTA and followed the pedestrians through the streets of the virtual New York. Instead of "playing the game", they applied different rules, creating an alternative space: between the blind spots and the void, new possibilities arise.
The exhibition is ongoing until March 26, 2016 at Maison Populaire