Contemporary Discoveries

Contemporary Discoveries

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 583. Les Drones de la Banlieue.

Miss AL Simpson

Les Drones de la Banlieue

Lot Closed

February 28, 07:58 PM GMT

Estimate

5,000 - 7,000 USD

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Lot Details

Description

Miss AL Simpson

Les Drones de la Banlieue

MP4

Executed in 2025, this work is unique.


Token ID: 1

Smart Contract: 0x75894dc7ca9ccbd9e3f9ebdf43a07f320ed3f7e4

Token Standard: ERC-721

Blockchain: Ethereum

The artist

Miss AL Simpson’s "Les Drones de la Banlieue" is a spellbinding AI video artwork that captures a flowing, dreamlike journey through the suburbs and landmarks of Paris, as seen through an otherworldly lens. The piece fuses the tactile textures of her signature Ink Interventions—imagined by AI from Simpson’s gestural mark-making and intricate hand-drawn compositions—with ethereal visuals of tulle-like curtains, suburban shadows, and the sleek, gliding presence of drones.

Intimate moments unfold as women navigate this fluid world in a delicate interplay with their drones: one crouches beside a gargoyle on Notre Dame before soaring into the skies; another walks two drones as mechanical guard dogs through the gritty streets of Paris. Their interactions are layered with both companionship and ambiguity, inviting the viewer to question the drones’ role as protectors, extensions, or silent witnesses.

The artwork’s flowing perspective, shifting seamlessly through iconic Parisian vistas and urban obscurities, suggests a voyeuristic gaze—perhaps that of a drone itself. This perspective casts an unsettling shadow over the piece, blurring the lines between observation and surveillance, intimacy and intrusion.

Accompanied by a haunting French soundtrack, "Les Drones de la Banlieue" delves into themes of human-machine relationships, urban isolation, and the evolving nature of connection. Simpson’s innovative collaboration with AI brings these elements to life in a mesmerizing, multilayered narrative that challenges viewers to reconsider what it means to see, to be seen, and to coexist in a world shaped by technology."

(C) 2025 Sotheby's
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