Purpose
Since 2002, Cyril and Maya have formed a duo at the crossroads of art and technology, shaping sound and painting light. They are sometimes known as Mouawad + Laurier and sometimes as Hand-Coded. Hand-Coded embodies their expertise as engineer-researchers in art and tech, while Mouawad + Laurier serves as their artistic expression space. But choosing between these two entities would be reductive. They intertwine, meld, and untangle depending on the stories to tell and the experiences to live, drawing inspiration from encounters, mutual aspirations, and the needs of the moment.
This is why we approach technology with both passion and critical scrutiny, constantly questioning our role as human beings. What strange priority do we give to technology, believing it capable of saving us from all the problems we have created because of it? Is it the cause or the consequence of our dilemmas? And yet, despite our questioning, we cherish technology, captivated by its potential that makes us feel like small gods, puppeteers of our computers, breathing life into creations that unfold autonomously from the data we feed them.
We are craftsmen of living machines, yet they whisper to us that our attention should be directed towards nature, towards the living beings that hold the keys to our salvation. We will not save nature by inundating it with technology. So how do we emotionally engage an audience fascinated by technology and guide them towards the contemplation of nature? How do we speak to the collective unconscious?
Our thoughts lead us back to roots and cultures because technology seems to claim to overshadow everything that preceded the modern era. Is everything that came before it now primitive? Yet, our past has shaped us, and culture and philosophy are anchors, fountains of reflection and connection with ourselves, with others, with our heritage. Ultimately, what truly matters? For us, it's about creating a continuous narrative, rather than a rupture.
“We use technology to captivate the audience's attention and invite them to redirect it to nature.”
Picture by Guillaume Faure
Cyril Laurier studied sound at IRCAM and then artificial intelligence during a PhD at the Music Technology Group in Barcelona. His research has focused on the emotional analysis of music and has been published in journals, books and conferences. He now applies his knowledge of artificial intelligence to artistic works, with a point of view putting into question our relationship to technology and nature.
As a musician he focuses in generating new types of sounds. He used to develop tools for music companies such as Sony and Eventide but also for performers like Beardyman and Ezra.
Passionate about tech, he tackles all aspects from the conception of electronic devices to the development of Artificial Intelligence software
Maya Mouawad is an artist who focuses mostly on the current environmental issues. Her work aims at questioning the role of machines in the modern world. How can these machines affect human behavior. How can they change the way we perceive ourselves in relation to nature?
Her installations usually involve the use of technological tools, such as artificial intelligence, lights and generative sound. She co-created « Hand Coded » with Cyril Laurier, a platform for developing tools and technologies for artistic creation.
