Magnetic performances

My performances explore the relationship between presence, perception and attention.

Through slow, minimal gestures, the body becomes a medium capable of transforming the viewer's perception.

Whereas my immersive installations use light, sound and movement to structure the perceptual experience, performance introduces a living, relational dimension.
Nourished by my practice of internal energy arts, notably Qi-Gong and meditation, this artistic research questions the impact of gaze, intention and presence in shared space. Each performance creates a framework of attention where the viewer is no longer just an observer, but an active participant in the experience. In this sensitive space, the performative relationship becomes a field of presence where different forms of perceptual resonance can emerge.

Performances

Perceptual preparation

Performances are preferably preceded by an artistic device that prepares the perceptual field. This conditioning is an important step in the experience. It relies in particular on entry and exit airlocks, which accompany the transition between ordinary attention and the performance space. By gradually establishing a more stable and open quality of attention, these devices prepare the viewer's inner availability and encourage the emergence of a deeper performative relationship.

The performances are based on a precise framework, founded on the focus of attention and the quality of the spectator's inner disposition. A focal point, whether visual or perceptive, acts as a stable reference point that brings attention together. This stability opens up a space where each person can become attentive to their own psychic sphere, listening to their sensations, perceptions and the variations in presence that emerge.

The depth of the experience depends less on what is shown than on how the viewer engages with it. Openness, concentration and inner availability are the basic conditions for establishing a performative relationship. This framework imposes neither content nor outcome. It supports a state of attention in which perception can be transformed.

Gesture: presence and resonance

My performances extend the installations by giving them a living, embodied dimension. Where light, sound and technical devices structured the field of perception, my presence becomes the main medium, in a direct and sensitive relationship.

My performances question the relationship between the viewer and art by stimulating the relational field through presence, gaze and gesture. Nourished by my assiduous practice of internal energy arts, including Qi-Gong and meditation, I bring into play the impact of the body and intention in space. Each performance becomes an energetic exchange where the quality of presence directly influences the viewer's perception, sometimes inducing a state of hypnotic receptivity.

Performance is based on the intensity of this presence, supported by an inner work of concentration and radiance. Every gesture, every posture, every movement arises from precise attention, focused on the state rather than the form.

The movements are deliberately minimalist. Their intensity does not come from their amplitude but from the quality of attention that supports them. The density of the gesture thus unfolds from this inner work, in resonance with my meditative and energetic practice. This remains implicit, like a quality of presence that permeates the body and structures what manifests itself.

The gestures are developed through careful listening to the moment, the place and the people present. Breathing, internal rhythm and micro-variations in posture are fully integrated into the performance, gradually establishing a dense and sometimes hypnotic quality of attention. This economy of means opens up a space where the spectator can experience, according to their own sensitivity, phenomena of resonance, synchronisation or intensification of attention.

The performance becomes a space for silent connection. The gaze, posture and presence play an active role, both for the performer and the audience. What is shared is a state, a quality of relationship that develops, where everyone remains free to interpret it as they wish.

Performance formats

Performances take several different formats. These variations respond to different qualities of relationship. Each format engages the body, the gaze and attention in specific ways, while maintaining the same foundation of presence and receptivity.

Collective performance

In collective performance, which can involve anywhere from a few people to dozens of participants, the challenge lies not in the number of people present, but in the quality of the connection that is established. This requires, first and foremost, clear physical visibility: the focused gaze of the spectator is the first threshold.

The rest of the experience depends on each person's inner availability, concentration and openness. When several people come together in the same state of receptivity, a common atmosphere can emerge. It is neither imposed nor directed, but perceived as a shared, sensitive and palpable field.

Through slow, precise and silent gestures, I create a space where the gaze and presence play an active role. The minimalist movements of my body can interact with light and sound when they are present, not to produce an effect, but to maintain a coherent state. The performance unfolds according to a physical and inner movement, consisting of gradual ascent, maintenance and integration.

The spectator is never placed in a position of passive observation. Through their gaze, attention and engagement, they participate fully in what is being woven. The work then unfolds in a shared space, where performer, audience and venue enter into the same temporality and quality of presence.

Duo performance

The duo performance is based on a direct relationship, materialised by an open posture, arms outstretched, which draws a circle of shared attention. The face-to-face encounter creates a space of close presence, conducive to a more subtle perception of the relationship.

An initial phase of visual focus allows a silent agreement and relational stability to be established. I invite the person to direct their attention to a focal point in the centre of my forehead, without any symbolic connotation, or simply to anchor themselves in my gaze. This focus opens up a conscious and sustained connection, from which the experience can unfold.

The person is then invited to close their eyes and turn to their inner feelings. A sober intimacy sets in, without verbal exchange, where each person remains fully present to themselves while remaining in relationship with the other. The duration varies according to the context and the quality of the attention engaged, generally a few minutes.

The testimonies reported are varied. Some people describe a feeling of deep serenity or subtle energisation, sometimes accompanied by a sense of joy, vitality or inner strength; others describe the appearance of inner perceptions, vibrations, warmth, luminous forms or colourful movements, while still others mention a change in their relationship to time, space or bodily presence. These manifestations may also be accompanied by a feeling of expansion or a sense of broader connection. The experience itself is an integral part of the artistic process: more than just a discourse on consciousness, these experiences open up a concrete space for exploration and sensory knowledge, playing a full part in research-creation by providing access to a field of observation of perceptual variations and states of consciousness.

These phenomena are not guaranteed results, but possible directions for the experience. They indicate perceptual thresholds that may appear in unique ways, depending on the situation, the attention engaged, and the availability of the moment. The stories collected in this book bear witness to this, revealing how these devices can open up variations in the perception and experience of consciousness.

This format is based on a clear ethical framework. I never place myself in a position of authority, but rather as a facilitator of a meeting space. Everyone remains free to adjust their level of engagement, to keep their eyes open, to change their posture or to withdraw at any time. Respect for individual pace and consent remains central.

Remote performance

Remote performances take the form of immersive videos structured around a focal point, supported by the gaze and the continuity of movement. The screen becomes a space for interaction in its own right. The slowness of movement and the stability of the focal point create an extended temporality, conducive to heightened attention.

Even at a distance, the experience retains an intimate dimension. Everyone is invited to engage actively; the quality and depth of the journey depend on their ability to concentrate and be present. In this shared attention, a subtle relationship can be established with me, even when we are separated by several kilometres. The image acts as an anchor point, but the relationship is not limited to the screen: the continuity of gaze and presence can open up a space of connection where the performance extends beyond physical distance.

This format extends performative research beyond the physical face-to-face encounter. It opens up another mode of relationship, based on sustained attention and perceptual continuity.