On Saturday, an American artist estimated that "we are ill-prepared as a society" for image manipulation after having imagined in a video the Arc de Triomphe redecorated in LGBT colors, creating controversy among Internet users who believed this actual setup. The famous monument on Place de l'Etoile in Paris is surrounded by a giant rainbow and a sign titled "March of Pride" in the video released Thursday on Twitter and Instagram. However, this installation can only be presented in video form, as it was designed virtually by Ian Padgham, an artist who builds imaginary forms on videos that he shoots mainly in major cities. Some people thought that the Arc de Triomphe had in fact been redecorated and condemned a militant reappropriation of a monument dedicated to French soldiers. The 41-year-old artist was not surprised by this. "The number of people who take my videos for reality always amazes me. He explained that when I made one where the pyramid of the Louvre opened to let balloons escape, even Parisians believed that it was was true.
This is a great example of how ill-prepared our society is. This American residing in Bordeaux pointed out that perhaps as homo sapiens we are not meant to perceive things that look real but cannot be real. Before becoming a freelance video creator, Ian Padgham was used to criticism for his art, having worked at Twitter himself a decade ago. This admirer of the surrealists said his job was not to fool people. His clips, such as those of a Bordeaux tram depicting a bottle of wine, are not well received by a thorough critical eye. But given the credulity of people, "it would be so easy to produce flammable content, which would provoke violence and hatred", he lamented. June 24 is the date of the Paris Pride March (France). Ian Padgham, from San Francisco, the city where Gay Pride was founded, says the video aims to highlight the value of love, understanding and support. I was more concerned about offending members of the LGBT community rather than far-right supporters.
Selena Mattei