The Vodunaut series was born from a fascination for cowry shells, space navigation, the times to come, and this question : what if a future futurology was based on Fa?
Fa (or Ifa) is a West African philosophy and geomancy system, widespread in Benin as well as Nigeria (and present in Brazil) that involves cowry shells, both as objects and symbols.
Its particularity resides in the fact that it not only describes an array of possible futures but also how one should navigate them.
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In the vodun religion in Benin, cowry shells are associated with the symbolism of the voyage (they are only found in Southeast Asia) and bring protection, fertility and good fortune but also wealth, since they served as a currency until the early 20th century in some areas.
Made of these enigmatic and meaningful shells, merging industrial design and organic material, the Vodunaut incorporate video works filmed on four continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe) which are displayed on smartphones and evoke the premonitory dreams of electronic brains.
