To rediscover the thickness of time through Earth, its custodian, Antoine Racine explores materiality, guided by an acute attentiveness to the phenomena at work within matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Racine\u2019s practice as a interdisciplinary artist began with sound and video installations. Their interest in the materiality of electronics led them to explore sound decomposition through circuit bending, which consists of modifying the circuits of electronic devices to divert their use. In the installation thin air<\/em> (2021), contact microphones capture the sounds of condensation droplets. These sounds are amplified by means of a circuit-bending mixer connected with a vermicomposter. As active agents in the decomposition of organic matter, earthworms also emit sounds, made tangible here as sonic glitches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With their recent exhibition, terraformations<\/em> (2025), Racine confirms their commitment to exploring the creative potential of compost. Beyond an abstract metaphorical approach, they experiment with the heuristic dimension, seeing the process of composting as a truly relational practice (with the other-than-human). Between garden, studio, and kitchen, Racine learns through the care rituals involved in composting: learning to \u201cread odours, textures, consistencies, and colours,\u201d detecting the imperceptible work of decomposers, engaging physically and sensually, accompanying the creative slowness of decay\u2026 Senses, signs, and time\u200a\u2014\u200athree characteristics of art in the most fundamental anthropological sense\u200a\u2014\u200aare brought together in the processes of transformation and (re)creation specific to composting\u2014which seems to have a spiritual dimension. In one of the installations of the terraformations<\/em> (2025) project, an electric fan oxygenates decaying matter in a bioreactor (a glass box) and filters out allergenic spores and particules, so that these substrates can be exhibited in the formalized space of the gallery. Sublime layers of decomposition, dotted with flowers and the odd piece of fruit are on display: not so much a \u201cstill life\u201d but rather a study of nature in delicate movement\u200a\u2014\u200aif one pays close enough attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
$\"Antoine$
Antoine Racine<\/strong>
terraformations<\/em>, installation view, Produit Rien, Montr\u00e9al, 2025.
Photo: courtesy of the artist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
$\"Antoine$
Antoine Racine<\/strong>
terraformations<\/em>, installation view, Produit Rien, Montr\u00e9al, 2025.
Photo: courtesy of the artist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
$\"Antoine$
Antoine Racine<\/strong>
terraformations<\/em>, installation view, Produit Rien, Montr\u00e9al, 2025.
Photo: courtesy of the artist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":269788,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true},"categories":[885],"numeros":[7549],"disciplines":[],"statuts":[],"checklist":[],"auteurs":[5639],"artistes":[7623],"thematiques":[],"type_portfolio":[],"class_list":["post-269796","portfolio","type-portfolio","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-portfolio","numeros-115-decay","auteurs-valentin-bec-en","artistes-antoine-racine-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/269796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"numeros","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/numeros?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"disciplines","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/disciplines?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"statuts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/statuts?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"checklist","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/checklist?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"auteurs","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/auteurs?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"artistes","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artistes?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"thematiques","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thematiques?post=269796"},{"taxonomy":"type_portfolio","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.esse.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_portfolio?post=269796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}