Christopher Santerre (FR, 1987)
Residency period: May 2026
Into the unknown.
A month-long residency at La Becque, supported by Plateforme 10 and dedicated to the exploration of the trance state and how to share the associated experiences through drawings and audio recordings.
Developed by ethnomusicologist Corine Sombrun after being introduced to Mongolian shamanism, the practice of “auto-induced cognitive trance” makes it possible to induce, through simple will, an unusual state of consciousness, causing a light, voluntary, and temporary state of dissociation.
This trance state creates a spontaneous change of mindset and behavior, potentially generating visions, body movements, and various sounds that can sometimes evoke languages.
During his time at La Becque, Christopher Santerre was able to explore this mysterious dimension on a daily basis, questioning our perceptions and the way we connect with ourselves, others, and the world.
A series of graphite and charcoal drawings was made after each trance session, as well as audio recordings made during these sessions.
This research is an attempt to express and bear witness to these explorations of this invisible space-time, blurring the boundaries between “ordinary” and “non-ordinary”, rational and irrational, known and unknown.
Based in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region, Christopher Santerre is an industrial designer who graduated from ENSCI – Les Ateliers in Paris. His practice combines desirability, sustainability, and local craftsmanship, with particular attention to the environmental impact of objects.
In 2016, he co-founded L’Increvable, a company developing a durable, repairable, and upgradable washing machine, a project selected for the Rising Talents Awards at Maison & Objet in 2017. In 2019, he launched his own design studio, specialising in the development of low environmental impact products. His projects include the Moonbikes electric snowmobile, the Rivoli electric bicycle for Voltaire, Reus’eat biodegradable cutlery, and the Karbikes intermediate vehicle.
1, 7-8: Christopher Santerre, La Becque, 2026, photo Aurélien Haslebacher
2: 06.05.26, charcoal on paper, 420x594mm
3: 07.05.26, charcoal on paper, 420x594mm
4: 12.05.26, graphite on paper, 297x410mm
5: 12.05.26, graphite on paper, 297x410mm
6: 23.05.26, charcoal on paper, 594x841mm