Coddess Variations is an artistic collection that integrates physical sculpture, choreography, and digital technology, conceived by artist Hermine Bourdin. This project marks the first instance of choreography from a National Opera being recorded on the Ethereum blockchain, powered by the Operator On-Chain Generative Choreography Method. This project comprises a suite of smart contracts, all accessible through a central Registry Contract. The suite includes (but is not limited to) the Generative Choreography contract, the Movement Library, a Performance Time-Based Lookup contract, the Coddess Variations Collection (100 unique works), and a Laban Notation Dictionary. Using a custom movement library, the method generates and inscribes a sequence on the blockchain, allowing “the audience to collect the choreography in the form of an NFT”. Collectors acquire the visual artworks and the underlying choreography, with each piece linked to unique choreographic characteristics and data as well as a segment of the performance.
The collection began with Bourdin’s residency in the sculpture and costume studio at the Paris National Opéra, where she created a two-meter plaster sculpture inspired by a Paleolithic goddess. This sculpture was crafted from plaster—“the material of dreams,” as described by Brancusi. A living sculpture, embodied by opera dancer Eugénie Drion, acts as the dynamic counterpart to the plaster statue, illustrating the transformation inherent in the work and drawing on the use of white common in Butoh performance. The living embodiment of the goddess brings the artistic concept to life, appearing both in the digital collection and at the performance on October 20, 2024, to celebrate the collection’s launch. The performance features a solo structured into nine movement vignettes that represent three archetypes of the Goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Rejecting the linearity of these phases and their assumed ties to age, the algorithm determined the final order in which they’re performed. The choreography, developed by Ania Catherine, will be performed by Drion in the Foyer de la Danse at the Opéra Garnier. A fundamental aspect of this work is the filmed capture by Hervé Martin Delpierre, whose images serve as the basis for the works in the collection, paying homage to surrealism on the occasion of its centenary.
The collection consists of a series of visual artworks alongside their corresponding choreography, making them collectible pieces. The artworks utilize various mediums, including sculpture, dance, video, motion capture, and Laban notation. Additionally, collectors will receive an airdrop of the Laban notation corresponding to their part of the choreography. This notation will be directly linked to the original piece, capturing the unique movement patterns of the performance and further enhancing the connection between the collector and the artwork. Coddess Variations explores the allegory of our dual humanity, split between the real and virtual worlds. It reflects on how we exist simultaneously in both dimensions: the tangible, physical world symbolized by the plaster sculpture captured by film, and the immaterial, digital world captured through blockchain-recorded choreography, the living sculpture embodied by the dancer being the link between these two worlds. Coddess Variations reflects on how identity and memory transform in the digital age, linking the ephemeral nature of movement with the permanence of blockchain technology.
Digital Collection size: 100 artworks
I trained my @aliasbyalien on images from past performances, extending my exploration of living sculptures into the digital realm. These performances, rooted in the interplay of sculpture, movement, dance, and mythology, began within the ancient ruins of Gozo island’s temples. There, I embodied a ancient goddess within a living sculpture I created inspired by the prehistoric Venus figurines of the region for my last solo exhibition #AxisMundi @juliecareddagallery
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This exploration further evolved through the project #CoddessVariations x @operadeparis, where dancer @eugenie_drion brought a new living sculpture to life; created during my residency last year at the @operadeparis sculpture and costume studio. The performance, filmed by @hervemartindelpierre_hmd, merged stillness and movement to create an intimate dialogue between present and past, sculpture and dance.
I was approached by @aliasbyalien to use their technology, and I was drawn to it for its ability to reimagine my work digitally while preserving my creative control. I also like how It allows others to engage with my universe, blending ancient archetypes with innovation to explore mythology, memory, and transformation. The photographs from these past performances served as the foundation for this series Embodiement, reimagining these works as new digital living sculptures presented last September @artverseparis
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Created during the @glitchresidency
My performance and journey related to my solo exhibition, « Axis Mundi. » It’s a collection of photos and images inspired by my recent trip to ancient Goddess civilizations in Malta and Crete.
In my work, I’ve always sought to capture the essence of femininity and more recently, from the Goddess civilization of Old Europe, particularly the research of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas. I’ve compiled this collection as a tribute to her work for my exhibition.
For a while now, I’ve had this idea of embodying the Goddess through a costume inspired by my sculptures. So, I went ahead and created one.
I chose Malta as the setting for my performance because its ancient temples, older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza, revealed evidence of Goddess worship. These temples even featured figurines depicting a seated Goddess with generous feminine forms.
During my trip to Malta, I attempted to perform inside a standing temple, but it was prohibited. So, I discovered 7000-year-old temple ruins in Santa Verna and conducted the performance there, resulting in a living sculpture.
You’re welcome to come and watch the film of the performance titled « Le ruchier, » at the galerie Julie Caredda until the 7th of October. There is also a second video from another performance embodying another living sculpture called « La forêt ».
Furthermore, I used the performance photos and fed them into an AI along with numerous pictures of my sculptures. My intention was to generate more living sculptures in the form of costumes, and I decided to mint my selection on @objkt you can find the full collection here :
During my trip, I also ventured to Crete, known as the crib of the Minoan civilization, the last of the Goddess civilizations. We came across a cliff bearing a natural petroglyph portraying a goddess, notable for its inclusion of the pelvic triangle symbol. This depiction, steeped in history and symbolism, added a profound layer of meaning to the landscape, prompting me to capture it and mint it.
Ma performance et mon voyage liés à mon exposition solo, « Axis Mundi ». Il s’agit d’une collection de photos et d’images inspirées de mon récent voyage dans les anciennes civilisations de la Déesse à Malte et en Crète.
Dans mon travail, j’ai toujours cherché à capturer l’essence de la féminité, et plus récemment, celle de la civilisation des déesses de l’ancienne Europe, en particulier grâce aux recherches de l’archéologue Marija Gimbutas. J’ai compilé cette collection en hommage à son travail pour mon exposition.
Depuis un certain temps, j’avais l’idée d’incarner la déesse à travers un costume inspiré de mes sculptures. Alors, j’en ai créé un.
J’ai choisi Malte comme cadre pour ma performance car ses anciens temples, plus anciens que Stonehenge et les pyramides de Gizeh, ont révélé des preuves du culte de la Déesse. Ces temples présentaient même des figurines représentant des déesses aux formes très généreuses.
Lors de mon voyage à Malte, j’ai tenté de réaliser ma performance à l’intérieur d’un temple, mais cela était interdit. Alors, j’ai découvert des ruines de temples datant de 7000 ans à Santa Verna et y ai effectué ma performance, l’idée étant de créer une sculpture vivante de la Déesse en ce lieu anciennement sacré.
Vous êtes tous invités à venir visionner le film de la performance intitulé « Le ruchier » à la galerie Julie Caredda jusqu’au 7 octobre. Il y a aussi une deuxième vidéo d’une autre performance incarnant une autre sculpture vivante appelée « La forêt ».
De plus, j’ai utilisé les photos de la performance que j’ai alimentées à une IA, en y ajoutant de nombreuses images de mes sculptures. Mon intention était de générer davantage de sculptures vivantes sous forme de costumes, et j’ai décidé de les minter sur @objkt. Vous pouvez trouver l’intégralité de la collection ici :
Lors de mon voyage, je me suis également aventurée en Crète, connue comme le berceau de la civilisation minoenne, la dernière des civilisations de la Déesse. Nous sommes tombés sur une falaise portant un pétroglyphe naturel représentant une déesse, remarquable pour son inclusion du symbole du triangle pelvien. Cette représentation, imprégnée d’histoire et de symbolisme, a ajouté une profondeur de sens au paysage, me poussant à la capturer et à la minter.
As a traditional sculpturess, I find it very liberating to defy physical universe laws through digital woks where terrestrial gravity isn’t a constraint.
I use digital art as a new material of exploration and creation.
From my physical sculptures I create pieces for Metaverses enabling me to play between static and kinetic, material and inmaterial, different colors, shapes, textures and scales.
Find out more about artists and artworks on digitalartmonth.com
From her physical sculptures taking women as a muse, Hermine Bourdin creates digital works and NFTs for the Metaverses, playing with the static and the kinetic. By questioning the link that binds the material to the immaterial, the visual artist sees in crypto-art a challenge to the laws of the universe and gravity, a new way of exploring creation through colors, shapes, hitherto unsuspected textures and scales.
This NFT was sold during a live auction at Fauveparis.com
