In 2050, when I was 20…

In 2050, when I was 20… is a collective project by Magali Desbazeille, taking three forms: a digital sound creation, a performance and a publication. I handle the technical direction and sound design.

The project questions the uses and imaginations of digital technology for their societal and intimate, political and poetic, scientific and imaginary dimensions. In the form of retro-fiction, it puts into perspective the history of these uses and their futures.

The sound creation is accessible via a QR code. It works as combinatorial poetry in the Oulipo tradition: a dedicated algorithm reassembles the sentences at each listening, so the piece never repeats itself in quite the same way.

The piece is made to be heard on headphones, from a phone. Scanning this code opens the sound work directly.

The survey

The sentences come from a survey conducted in autumn 2025 among students and researchers at the University of Orleans, where Magali Desbazeille is artist-in-residence for 2025-2026. A few examples:

• “In 2000, when I was 20, I didn’t think I would find love thanks to artificial intelligence.”
• “In 2025, when I was 20, my uncle had his cards read by AI.”
• “In 2025, when I was 20, with automation delegated to machines, there was no respite.”
• “In 2050, when I was 20, technology had solved all our problems.”

Sound models

Credits

Artistic design: Magali Desbazeille — Artistic collaboration: Julie Valero — Technical direction and sound design: Emilie Zawadzki — Development: Typhaine Le Galès — Ergonomics: Russels Studio — Illustration: Maylis Gérard — Graphic design: Élise Panelle and Hélène Ququ — With the participation of students and researchers from the University of Orleans.

Executive production: Cie ASAP. Co-production: University of Orleans. Residency showing at Le Bouillon, cultural centre of the University of Orleans, April 2026.