Ridha Rhib, an artist in search of meaning, has embarked on a journey of 3,000 kilometers on foot from Paris to Nauplion, Greece, as part of his project called Mnemosyne. Through this artistic performance, he combines artificial intelligence, physical effort, and meaningful encounters, transforming each stage into a discovery as much personal as collective.
A unique journey, a reflective approach
Ridha Rhib has set himself an audacious challenge: to cover the distance separating Paris from Greece in a hundred days. This challenge goes well beyond a simple hike; it illustrates a reflective approach where the journey undertaken is mirrored with the artist’s inner experiences. Each day, he engages in profound reflection,
measuring, not the distance in kilometers, but in heartbeats. According to him, walking is not limited to a physical act but is imbued with emotions and challenging experiences.
The creative fusion: body and technology
In his work Mnemosyne, Rhib uses AI as a creation tool that assists him in understanding the data from his journey. Each stage of his walk generates a “cardio-mapping” that groups visual and textual elements, thus revealing another dimension of the experience. Through this process, he is able to transform information related to his pulse and GPS itinerary into a rich artistic creation, which also includes geographical and meteorological data.
Artificial intelligence: an ally, not a substitute
Rhib emphasizes the importance of keeping the human at the center of his work. Artificial intelligence, although powerful, can never truly feel what effort or the ordeal of a journey really means. “In the age of artificial intelligence, it is the body that remains,” he asserts. By using this tool, he hopes to enrich our perception of reality while remaining aware of the limits of this technology.
Encounters, at the heart of the experience
For Ridha Rhib, the essence of his walk lies in human encounters. His route has been carefully planned in advance by contacting art centers, municipalities, and associations that facilitated his journey. During his stop in Melun, for instance, he collaborated with the local Museum of Art and History, thus demonstrating the interest his project generates among the various structures.
The generosity of localities
Each stage is also an opportunity for enriching exchanges. In the municipality of Brie-Comte-Robert, after a strenuous day of walking, Rhib recalls a beautiful encounter with a priest who, while offering his help, demonstrated a delicate attentiveness that left a mark on the artist. This type of human connection nourishes Rhib’s project, illustrating that walking is also a means of forging bonds.
A shared gratitude
Each place visited becomes a part of his journey, and the artist ensures to express his gratitude by sending postcards to the structures he encounters. These postcards indicate the exact number of heartbeats required to reach these places, introducing a notion of “gift for gift” in his interactions. It is a symbolic gesture that reinforces the ties woven during this journey.
Awakening the collective memory of pilgrimage
Through this project, Ridha Rhib is not only seeking to explore landscapes but more so to awaken the collective memory of pilgrimage. By reconnecting with the figure of the pilgrim, he reminds us that each step must have meaning, that of the encounters and human relationships that form. “We walk alone, but we do not walk only for ourselves,” he says, highlighting the importance of exchanges and connections that enrich this adventure.
The artist thus invites us to reflect on our own relationship with walking, meeting, and the human experience in general, while integrating the innovations that artificial intelligence can bring. More than just a journey, this project is an invitation to rediscover the world through the other.
