maintenir la matière

Matter Under Maintenance is a virtual playground and on-going research exploring the evolving relationship between the artist and the digital medium. At its core lies a desire to dissolve the distance between the two—physically, in terms of presence, and in the quality of the creative experience. The performance centers on a custom-built digital instrument that enables real-time interaction with a virtual world through motion capture. This immediacy transforms creation into a responsive and fluid process, where intuitive gestures influence the virtual world and, in turn, guide the evolution of the performance. By eliminating the usual layers between intention and result, the artist is able to engage in a direct, embodied dialogue with the digital.

Designed for immersive spaces such as the Satosphère in Montreal, the project highlights a striking scale relationship between the performer and a giant virtual hand. This unique dynamic brings the artist closer to the moment of creation, transforming the experience into a spontaneous, improvisational dialogue with the audience. With the use of motion capture gloves, the gesture becomes a tool for immediate creation, enhancing immersion and connection between the performer, the virtual, and the spectators.

This project builds upon the foundations laid in Cinematography of Virtual Matter. In this new phase, the virtual studio was adapted for a fulldome environment, and the parametric behavior of the virtual matter was further refined.

Matter Under Maintenance is a virtual playground and on-going research exploring the evolving relationship between the artist and the digital medium. At its core lies a desire to dissolve the distance between the two—physically, in terms of presence, and in the quality of the creative experience. The performance centers on a custom-built digital instrument that enables real-time interaction with a virtual world through motion capture. This immediacy transforms creation into a responsive and fluid process, where intuitive gestures influence the virtual world and, in turn, guide the evolution of the performance. By eliminating the usual layers between intention and result, the artist is able to engage in a direct, embodied dialogue with the digital.

Designed for immersive spaces such as the Satosphère in Montreal, the project highlights a striking scale relationship between the performer and a giant virtual hand. This unique dynamic brings the artist closer to the moment of creation, transforming the experience into a spontaneous, improvisational dialogue with the audience. With the use of motion capture gloves, the gesture becomes a tool for immediate creation, enhancing immersion and connection between the performer, the virtual, and the spectators.

This project builds upon the foundations laid in Cinematography of Virtual Matter. In this new phase, the virtual studio was adapted for a fulldome environment, and the parametric behavior of the virtual matter was further refined.