ARTISTIC LAB

Texel. Reconquering time?

Lyes Hammadouche

and

Ianis Lallemand

For one month in late 2015, at Ermont-Eaubonne railway station in Ile-de-France, travelers became part of a surprising experiment: an installation composed of hourglasses that reacted to their movements, inviting travelers to take a break in their daily commute to consider the acceleration of daily life. A look at Texel, an experimental project at the crossroads of interactive art and the humanities, conducted in partnership with EnsadLab, the research laboratory of the Ecole nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs.


About the exhibition

Guillaume Logé , Researcher in art history and theory and in environmental sciences

Acceleration is one of the key words that describes our changing lifestyles. More and more surveys and studies show that multitasking, incessant soliciting from ICTs and the acceleration of mobility in general negatively affect our well-being and are counterproductive by causing fatigue, stress and poor concentration.

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FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCTION

The concept: pivoting hourglasses (below a virtual representation) that react to travelers’ movement, inviting them to put their journey on pause.

Lyes Hammadouche and Ianis Lallemand building the piece in the ENSAD workshop.

Texel is equipped with movement sensors to detect travelers’ movements. The information collected is then processed by a computer which controls the motorized hourglasses in real time. The hourglasses’ reaction to movement was predetermined by the artists.

ONE WORK, TWO STATION INSTALLATIONS

Texel was set up in two areas of the station with two different goals.

The first location: the mezzanine between the doors leading to the J line platforms, an area for both circulation and waiting. An isolated unit was installed at this location to invite travelers for a personalized session.

The second location: the corridor leading to the H-line and RER C platforms, one of the busiest areas in the station. A linear module composed of eight hourglasses was installed here. The goal was to echo the flow of passengers: the coordinated action of the hourglasses created the image of a wave, evoking movement.

WHEN HOURGLASSES INTERACT WITH COMMUTERS

Guided tours.

Researchers in social sciences and artists select part of artwork and comment under the prism of their knowledge, sensibility and discipline.

Guided tour

Samuel Bianchini

Artist and teacher-researcher

Durée : 05:20

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Guided tour

Anne Bationo Tillon

Ergonomics researcher

Durée : 06:35

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Guided tour

Francesca Cozzolino

Researcher in anthropology

Durée : 05:50

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