SILENCE OF THE CHIMERAS

Three-channel video installation, color, sound, 2 min 23 s.

Silence of the Chimeras proposes a sensorial dive into the depths of cellular memory, an oneiric space where intimate pasts and biological traces meet.

This project explores the genetic phenomenon of feto-maternal chimerism. During pregnancy, cells from the developing embryo or fetus cross the placenta and enter the maternal bloodstream. These cells, carrying both fetal and paternal genetic information, integrate into the body and can persist long after childbirth, miscarriage, or abortion. Chimera cells have been found in various organs and tissues, including blood, skin, heart, brain and bone marrow. A body may thus carry the imprint of another - or several others - in the form of these genetically distinct cells.

In Greek mythology, the chimera is a fantastical, hybrid creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a serpent. Adopted in biology, the term refers to an organism composed of cells from two or more genetically distinct individuals. In the context of human reproduction, a person who has experienced multiple pregnancies with different partners can harbor a composite of genetic material originating from individuals other than temselves. These observations raise questions, leading some scientists to wonder whether this phenomenon could influence a woman's behavior after pregnancy. 

Through three videos, Silence of the Chimeras features two former partners who have shared a procreative experience. In an intrauterine, meditative atmosphere, intimate memories converse and genetic fragments confront one another. Sound becomes a vector of circulation where each cell, each memory trace communicates, transcending the boundaries of body, space and time.