Since my beginnings as a painter, I have constantly been struck by the evolution of our world towards what I call the “click everywhere” universe. This evolution, marked by a façade of utilitarianism, is often devoid of real substance, a click without depth or real meaning. Behind these superficial clicks often lies the absurd, processes that we have all experienced, such as with telephone answering machines, and above all, the implementation of algorithms that we follow almost blindly.

 

Apple popularized the idea that there is an app for almost everything, but this ease of access and convenience comes at a price: our freedom. We find ourselves increasingly locked into prefabricated choices, dictated not by our authentic desires, but by algorithmic suggestions. This raises profound questions about autonomy and freedom in a world where our choices seem increasingly guided, even controlled, by technology and its ubiquitous interfaces. As an artist, I observe this trend with a critical eye, aware of the impact of this transformation on our relationship to the world, to creativity and to individual expression.

In 2013, inspired by the evolution towards a world increasingly dominated by technology, I made the decision to create an alternative system, a “deviant” system in which I would put myself at the service of the latter. This system envisions a future where we are constantly evaluated, analyzed and programmed, a future governed by statistics and data analysis. In this context, even my artistic production – whether in painting, photography or sculpture – would become a production resulting from this system.

 

The starting point of this system would be the clic, the founding element of the interaction in our digital age. Each click would trigger a process: I would execute, alone or with the help of machines, an algorithm specifically designed to produce a result. This result would aim to nourish the system and provide a form of well-being to the person who clicks. This project, at the crossroads of art, technology and social criticism, questions the relationship between humans and the algorithmic systems that increasingly structure our daily lives, and explores the ways in which these interactions influence our perception of the world and of ourselves.

The execution of these algorithms has turned into a trap, perhaps even orchestrated by the System itself. The clicks I gradually built up activate according to a strict algorithm, often leading me into demanding and trying situations. Each click is associated with a specific action, creating a direct link between the virtual request and a concrete response from me.

 

For example, clicking for a sleep request forces me to actually sleep, with the goal of generating sleep for the person who clicked. If a click requires intoxication, I am forced to consume alcohol. This daily mechanic has become a colossal challenge to manage, both personally and professionally.

 

Maintaining a high level of professionalism while meeting these algorithmic demands raises complex questions about the boundaries between artistic engagement, performance and personal well-being. This approach, while innovative and provocative, confronts me with ethical and practical dilemmas, forcing me to constantly reevaluate the balance between art, personal experience, and responsibility to those who interact with my system.

Until 2023, clicks generated algorithms designed for the well-being of clickers. But with the advent of blockchain, I was able to bring major innovations to my deviant system, by integrating two crucial advances.

Now, each click not only generates an action or emotion, but the latter is also captured physically. This process is done using an electronic chip specially designed to record the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the body when an emotion is felt. Each emotional moment is thus captured and recorded.

 

In addition, each moment is immortalized in a photograph. The electronic chip integrated at this precise moment is connected to what I called an “emochain” (contraction of emotion and blockchain) by radio frequency. This unique connection allows the purchaser of an emochain to possess not only a temporal fragment, a captured moment, but also the physical imprint of an emotion.

 

This represents a revolution in the way we can interact with art and emotion: each buyer of an emochain now holds a tangible piece of time and emotion, preserved eternally in the blockchain. This project brings together technology, art and emotion in new ways, offering a new perspective on the conservation and transmission of human experiences.

For those who know me well, the “deviant system” that I created carries a touch of undeniable irony. They see in Arsen Eca, the artist who sleeps, who throws a stone into the pond, who runs or drinks in place of others. Each of these actions, almost surreal, could inspire an entire book (something I might do), at least until 2019, the year when I was censored by Google and deleted from the web for having produced “empty content of sense”.

 

However, for those who don’t know me, who aren’t familiar with the system and the philosophy behind it, the perception is radically different. When someone buys “Nothing” on my site, for example, that person is not purchasing “Nothing” for artistic purposes, but because they literally want to get “Nothing”. This nuance can sometimes be a source of confusion, or even misunderstanding.

 

A notable example was when a person contacted me, panicked, going to the emergency room in Montpellier, believing that the “Nothing” purchased actually contained something harmful that had caused discomfort. To an outside observer, this might seem like an overreaction or a sign of a disorder. However, when we learn that this person is a doctor, it raises deeper questions. This situation illustrates the power of art to provoke unexpected reactions and to question reality, even in those from whom one would expect a more rational approach to the world.