Frédéric Platéus
Hybrid Structures
14.06.24-14.07.24
Frédéric Platéus’s artistic output originates from a fascination with technology, science, and motorsport aesthetics, creating an oscillating dialogue between historical traditions and contemporary perspectives. His sculptures, often described as having a high-tech veneer devoid of functional utility, evoke a sense of unreality—pristine yet untethered to practicality. This aesthetic narrative places Platéus within the context of the Finish Fetish movement, which itself was inspired by the visual and material culture of the American West Coast's sporting life and burgeoning technological industries during the late 1960s.
Platéus’s current project, which we wanted to conceive with the artist, undertakes a reflective journey through his artistic process, using artificial intelligence to interact with photographic archives of his past works. This endeavor is not merely a retrospective examination but a proactive creation of new forms for his work that are derivative yet distinct. It embodies a modernist reflection on form and technology, wherein the former is reimagined through the lens of the latter, fostering a generative foundation for hybrid creations. This approach reflects a broader trend in the conception of work, where technology not only aids but actively participates in the creative process, thus challenging traditional boundaries between creator, medium, and artifact.
This interaction suggests a metamorphosis, a reinvention that respects the origin yet ventures beyond it, pushing into realms where form and technology merge to fashion new aesthetic realities. Our project consists of a simple sequence of these elaborations obtained in this way, configuring the documentation of a hypothetical exhibition, not visitable except through the screen. But it is the concept of the exhibition that is subverted and revisited with this cross-cutting approach.
With this incorporated process, we aim to reflect and look to the future, capturing the essence of the drive towards a continuous evolution and reinterpretation of the forms that define our visual and material culture.