Toguna World and the Sanctuary of Dreams / Pierre-Christophe Gam (FR)/Photo: flap
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Toguna World and the Sanctuary of Dreams

Pierre-Christophe Gam (FR)

The accelerator of the Imagination

Toguna World and the Sanctuary of Dreams is a mixed-media art installation, which combines virtual reality, art, film and music to support a Future-dreaming ritual through which participants can envision desirable future scenarios guided by their innermost desires.

Informed by IFA, an ancient divination system from West Africa, The Sanctuary of Dreams takes the form of a digital temple. According to IFA, achieving a truly satisfying and fulfilling life requires consideration of five fundamental pillars: Ce-Meji (the Body), Ka-Ogbe (the Mind), Gbe-Meji (the Spirit), Sa-Meji (the Heart) and Yeku-Meji (the Soul).

The pillars are introduced through five, three-minute mixed-media animations, combining photo, 3D and digital collage techniques, each exploring both the visible and invisible dimensions of its corresponding principle.

The centerpiece is The Dream Manifesto, an eight-minute film that introduces the philosophy behind the Future-dreaming ritual. It invites viewers to question their perception of reality and expand their dreams for the future beyond socially conditioned, limiting beliefs.

Bio

  • Photo: Guy Kouekam

    Pierre-Christophe Gam

    FR

    A polymath artist and researcher, Pierre-Christophe Gam’s practice sits at the intersection of art, technology, and foresight.
    Trained at ENSAD in Paris and at CSM in London, he crafts stories that draw from ancient myths rooted in Africa’s pre-colonial heritage, bringing them to life through interactive, physical and virtual spaces to expand the limit of our imagination.
    His work has been shown at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein among others.

Credits

The 5 Pillars of IFA –
Art & Direction: Pierre-Christophe Gam
3D Modeler: Mahoutondji Kinmagbo and Norglad Nyaba
2D & 3D animation: VX animation
Music composer: Etchi Ray

The Dream Manifesto –
Art & Direction: Pierre-Christophe Gam
Text: Pierre-Christophe Gam
3D modeler: Pierre-Christophe Gam
2D & 3D animation: VX animation
Music composer: Paul Gladstone-Reid
Voice actors: Nadine Audifferen (female) and Olatide Adekunle-Wright (man)

TOGUNA WORLD and The Sanctuary of Dreams is the winner of the 2022 Unity for Humanity grant award and of the 2023 Unity special Kick-off award in partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival. It was presented during the 2023 edition of the festival as part of the Creator’s market official selection. It’s development was made possible in part under the Future Africa : Telling Stories, Building Worlds Program led by Africa No Filter, together with Meta, Electric South and Imisi3D; and under the CChange fellowship program led by Goethe-Institut San Francisco, Gray Area and the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Presented in the context of the European Digital Deal project. European Digital Deal is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.