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Le Saut (or The Jump) is a light installation that explores the relationship between humans and new technologies. Should we dive headfirst into all these innovations or take a step back and consider technological sobriety? With the digitalization of our world, the boundary between the real and the digital is increasingly blurred—Zoom meetings, online games, remote work, the metaverse... The installation features a statue almost in levitation above the water, as if it were jumping into the water, into this virtual world but with very real consequences. Perhaps its blindness will cause it to miss more essential things, such as the environment. This frantic race for the latest technologies, without knowing their true impact on us, is exemplified by 5G, 6G, and soon 7G.

On the other hand, this leap forward also demonstrates how technology provides spectators with new sensations and limitless creativity. VR experiences in neuroscience, for example, contribute significantly to research and various neurological symptoms. There are benefits in multiple areas, from creative endeavors with all these new writings to health improvements.

Upon viewing this installation, each spectator will be prompted to reflect on their personal relationship with technology and their perspective on contemporary society. The visitor will be intrigued by the statue's pose and will wonder how it maintains its suspended leap above the water. The realistically depicted statue will prompt introspection in relation to the project's message. However, the work truly comes to life at night when the lights are turned on, revealing a luminous grid on the water's surface.

This pose, reminiscent of Yves Klein's Le Saut dans le vide (1960), may represent a visionary or an enlightened figure; the spectator will decide. The statue's highly reflective material will add animation and vibrancy, whether from the LED grid or other surrounding light sources.

Le Saut, 2023
Realization: Arnaud Laffond
Production: Festival des Lumières d'Amsterdam
Technical Director: Martial Marquet
Technical Support: Zèbre 3
Directed by: One Eighty One