Modern Zeus

With her ‘Modern Zeus’ project, Anaïs Borie wants to remind us of the irrational aspects of electricity. The technology has been a powerful presence in our lives for so long now, we have come to take it for granted. But the dangerous electrical devices on display here are different from their efficient everyday equivalents.
Since its discovery, electricity has captivated mankind. Because of its connection to the invisible, it has held a mythological status connected to profound human fears and desires. Inventors and scientists have used the medium to explore rational as well as irrational uses; think for instance of electric light, but also of the séances of the Victorian era.

To challenge our controlled use of everyday electrical devices and explore any irrational aspects connected to them, Anaïs has used the myth of Zeus, the god of the sky in ancient Greek mythology who became supreme ruler of the gods by violently defeating his two brothers. Combining myth and technology has allowed her to inject the devices with danger, adventure and transgression. ‘Modern Zeus’ challenges the control and efficiency these technological objects represent for us.