(Un)related to god by Apollo Noir and Thomas Pons joins the Institut français’ Unlock Selection

They first met through social media, where they followed each other because they appreciated each other’s work. On the one hand, Apollo Noir, born Rémi Sauzedde, an electronic musician from Auvergne, producer of three albums, the last of which, Weapons, provides part of the melodic framework for (Un)related to god. On the other hand, Thomas Pons, designer and animator, whose graphic universe in black and white has illustrated video clips, short films and interactive works. (Un)related to god is thus the result of a dual approach, visual and musical, which has given rise to a modular exhibition and performance. 

A multifaceted work, (Un)related to god is above all a project that exists in many formats, both physical and digital. Centred around a graphic universe where black silhouettes move through granular decors, this unclassifiable work addresses the question of ritual and how it organises human lives. Happy to be evocative rather than didactic, it is a work that can be grasped through drawings and canvases, which also come to life on screen thanks to augmented reality technology. A world of its own that is also brought to life in performances where Apollo Noir's music unfolds alongside Thomas Pons’ animated images. 

(Un)related to god is an evolving project, designed as a meeting point between two visual and musical worlds. Without being rooted in an era, it unfolds a narrative in an allegorical form that evokes both ancient myths and modern servitude. The grainy texture of the black ink is combined with a glitch aesthetic, in an ensemble that allows viewers to project themselves and let their imagination run wild. In its performed version, the work becomes participatory thanks to the online streaming platform Twitch. 

(Un)related to god was created in collaboration with Electroni[k], in co-production with Stereolux & Station Mir, and has benefited from support from the Brittany Region, among others, as a result of collective work that has been carried out during a succession of residences, at Subsistances (Lyon), CCNRB (Rennes) and the Interstices festival. Winner of the 2020 Adami Art and Technology Talents award, the show has been presented in France and abroad, at the Festival Maintenant (Rennes), at the Lev Festival (Madrid) and even at Stereolux (Nantes), in formats that were adapted each time.