Thank You For Smoking

Smoking has become a taboo, something forbidden. Those who do it anyway are seen as immoral, and the image of the cigarette has become a symbol of death. ‘Thank You For Smoking’ aims to create positive alternatives for this dark and depressing image of a habit that so many people still enjoy. Jessie Derogy decided to disconnect the smoker from his deadly object, the cigarette, without forcing him to stop smoking. “By creating a distance I aim to create unexpected interactions between smokers and spectators,” she says. The objects and installations function as intermediaries, entertaining both smokers and non-smokers. While the addicted fulfil their needs, they become actors in ritual choreographies, connecting all the parts of the installation. In the meantime, the abstainers are entertained by the process, and are free to form their own opinion as amused spectators.