After studying mathematics and physics, Virgile Novarina devoted himself to the artistic exploration of his own sleep, in the form of writings and drawings, and of the sleep of others, in the form of photographs and films. Since 2006, the simple act of sleeping has become an integral part of his work in the form of « En somme » performances, during which he sleeps publicly in storefronts, galleries and museums.
An encounter with digital artist Walid Breidi in 2010 gave birth to three projects involving brainwaves: The Paradoxical Bubble, Sleep in the City, and Quantum Dream, the latter in collaboration with the LABOFACTORY collective.
In 2016 he directed the film « Deep into Sleep » (39', a.p.r.e.s Production, 2016) with Michel Butor, Clément Rosset, Pierre Pachet and Jean-Luc Nancy. He also directs documentaries on artists he admires, including Jean Olivier Hucleux (From the Work to the Artwork, 60', a.p.r.e.s Production, 2011), Eduardo Kac (Inner Telescope, 35', Observatoire de l'Espace du CNES, 2017), and soon Pierre Pinoncelli (Have you taken your Pinoncelli today?, a.p.r.e.s Production, 2022).
