The Exhibitionist Observer series began in 2017 as a response to the rise of surveillance culture and social media narcissism. The first nine versions were interactive installations where the "Exhibitionist" (a performer or user) exposed a curated vulnerability to an "Observer" (the audience or AI), only to have the power dynamics reverse mid-experience.
At a recent private viewing at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, a peculiar event occurred that has since become viral lore. A viewer stood in front of the v10 Colette Studio piece for 47 minutes. As he observed the AI exhibitionist, his own reflection began to decay digitally—pixels falling away like autumn leaves. He reportedly whispered, "I am the exhibitionist now," and walked away in tears.
In a recent, rare interview (conducted via Morse code through a twitch stream), Colette said: "Version 9 asked, 'Do you want to be watched?' Version 10 answers, 'You have no choice.'" If you are looking for a passive art purchase to match your couch, look away. Exhibitionist Observer v10 is aggressive. It is uncomfortable. It smells like electricity and vulnerability.