Sébastien Robert

Photo by: Lucas van der Rhee

In residence: November - December 2024

Sébastien Robert (b. 1993. Nantes, FR) is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher developing a practice at the intersection of visual and sound art, technology, science and ethnography. Most of his projects revolve around a research cycle, ‘You’re no Bird of Paradise’, through which he explores disappearing Indigenous sonic rituals and cosmologies.

Beyond simple documentation, yet not an ambitious ethnographic archiving project, he aims to translate these immaterial resources into long-lasting tangible works of art made of materials that echo the traditions of the communities encountered and the geo-specificities of the territories explored.

Through his work and research, Robert searches for possibilities to create an engaged and expanding artistic dialogue between non-Western perspectives and new technology, questioning our perception of the world and highlighting its epistemological diversity.

During his residency at Artica Svalbard, Sébastien Robert will continue his ongoing research project, ‘The Lights Which Can Be Heard’, aiming to capture the sounds of Northern Lights. In collaboration with radio astronomer Rob Stammes, he will embark on an ambitious mission to record these sounds using a microphone—something that has never been done before—before they fade from our perception.

Amidst crackling magnetism, fracturing ice, and the interference of radio waves, Robert seeks to document this endeavour through an experimental film, where voices from the local community will emerge to recount these sonic encounters. During this exploration, he wants to meet with various locals to highlight how climate change, mass tourism, and geopolitical issues affect the delicate Arctic environment and community. This sensory journey aims to challenge preconceived notions of reality, inviting viewers to listen deeply—to the whispers of the cosmos and the stories of those who live in the Arctic.

For this project, Robert will collaborate with filmmaker Louise Ernandez, sound artist Irwin Barbé, producer Lisa Bakk Bøen, and radio astronomer Rob Stammes.

Robert’s work has been exhibited internationally, with recent exhibitions at Scopitone (Nantes, FR), Light Art Museum (Budapest, HU), and FIBER (Amsterdam, NL). He has also performed at notable festivals including Sonic Acts (Amsterdam, NL), Organik (Hualien, TW), and Mirage (Lyon, FR). Sébastien has participated in artist residencies such as The Arctic Circle (Svalbard, NO), Iméra (Marseille, FR), and Valley of the Possible (Curacautin, CL). Additionally, he has lectured at prominent institutions such as the Mucem (Marseille, FR), ITMO University (Saint Petersburg, RU), and HEAD (Geneva, CH).

Robert graduated with honours from the ArtScience Master program between the KABK – Royal Academy of Art and the KC – Royal Conservatory of The Hague in 2020. He now lives and works in The Hague.

Robert has received funding for this project from: