Polyptics

County-based project in image education (PEI) of 80h.
Project initiated by the “Culture et art au college” Mission (MICACO).

Tutor: BERTRAND SANDREZ, ARTHIUR VIOLY /MULTIMEDIA GRAPHIC DESIGNER, FABIEN CAURA / IT ENGINEER

Project manager: Mathieu Marion

Objectives:
The aim of this project is to study the notion of “multifaceted” portraits at a time when self-portraits have taken on unprecedented significance in our society. What does the notion of the portrait hide these days (in the sense of self-image)? Who are we in the eyes of our friends, neighbours and peers and how do we wish to appear? These are crucial questions for those who use social networks, a universe in which one has to publicise - a little or a lot, voluntarily or involuntarily – one’s private life, and where many “present themselves” by hiding behind a purely-invented pseudonym or avatar. 
To foster this initiative, the students develop various activities following a non-linear model. It is not a question of devising and demonstrating to then see if the result is adopted or rejected by the public - those working in the multimedia industry moved on from this paradigm some time ago, and they now propose more sophisticated models that assume the sustained interaction of a certain number of actors with varied skills, and swap sequential breakdown for continual shifting between research, development, production, tests, etc. 

Workshops:
I am what I am
This involves steadily gathering accounts that address the notion of identity, personality, individuality, etc. The students are asked to contribute; they all give personal testimonies – and these are discussed and elaborated upon by the others (is that really me?). They also gather testimonies from other students at the school. This survey is conducted using digital tablets and various reference texts on the topic.

Several Dimensions
The students construct a capture device with several digital tablets or webcams positioned in a semi-circle on a fixed structure. This enables them to take photos of someone from several angles at the same time. These shots are immediately visible on smartphones or tablets, and are remarkable in that they give the impression that the user can move around the subject from a vertical axis. This creates a legible 3D portrait without any specific equipment such as 3D glasses. An impression of reality is created simply by moving the smartphone or tablet from left to right or right to left.

Off on a Tangent
A third and final workshop was organised: to produce “identities”, the students took on a creative mission, provoking a dialogue between the various images obtained using the capture device. A use scenario was devised by the group to generate new “images” from the 3D portraits of two users with similar psychological profiles. With each new participation, new identities emerge and are immediately visible in 3D. 

Showcase:
On Friday 16th June 2017, the Polyptique/Polypoto device was set up at the “Instants Chavirés” in Montreuil: over 200 people took part in the experiment devised by the students. Following the use scenario drawn up by the class, more than 300 new hybrid identities were generated by the machine to examine the notions of portraits, how we present ourselves, and encounters.   

Outings:
 - F93
- ART FACTORY, d'ORANGE 
- ENSAD-LAB, PARIS
- MAINS D’ŒUVRES, SAINT-OUEN
- LES INSTANTS CHAVIRÉS, MONTREUIL

Participating school:
- Class 3eme SEGPA, Lenain de Tillemont middle school, Montreuil

Scenography: ELODIE DESCOUBES

Photos: PIERRE ANTOINE, BERTRAND SANDREZ ET ARTHUR VIOLY