Agathe Simon is a Paris-based artist and researcher, born in 1977. Further to her Ph.D. degrees in French literature from Sorbonne University and in music from the Paris Conservatory (CNSMDP), she has travelled a decade around the world for artistic projects, creation residencies and research stays. She has also carried out initiatic journeys in Central Africa, Peru, and Antarctica.
Since her return to Paris in 2017, she has been the artistic director of the production company The Group. Trained at the Fémis Documentary Workshop (National Institute for Professional Image and Sound), she is the founder and head of the documentary workshops and the film workshops at the Sorbonne University. Since 2023, she has been an associate researcher at the ACTE Institute (Arts Creations Theories Aesthetics) at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Agathe Simon explores how reality disconcerts us. Interested in the relationship between humans and their environments, she questions science, myths and narratives to create an imagined desirable future. She develops immersive multimedia cycles, including film and video, sound and performance.
Simon’ films and videos have been shown at ‘La Fabrique’ Art Center, Montreuil, France, and the Bogotá Experimental Film Festival, Colombia (2023) ; at Esch2022, European Capital of Culture (2022); at the festival ‘Les Festives’ of Sorbonne University (2021); at the Museum of Non-Conformist Art in St. Petersburg, Russia (2020, 2017 & 2015); at the International Museum Day and at the alternative venue ‘Les Frigos’ (2019) ; at the ‘Cité Internationale des Arts’ gallery in Paris, France, at the CDG Gallery in Rabat, Morocco, as well as at Audiorama & MDT in Stockholm, Sweden (2015); at the French Institutes of Algiers, Constantine, Tlemcen, and Oran (Algeria), at the Nocturne Art Festival in Halifax, Canada, and at the Cinema ‘Sala del Bicentenario’ in Antarctica (2014).
Her individual and collective performances have been presented at: the Michel Journiac gallery, Paris, France (2023); the Paris’ Poetry Center, France (2020); the alternative art venue Les Frigos, Paris, France (2019); the alternative art venue La Générale, Paris, France; the Paris University, France (2018); La Générale, Paris, France; the Museum of Non-conformist Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia; University of Aix-Marseille, France (2017); CY Cergy Paris Université, France; the Concordia base, Antarctica (2016); the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France; the French Institute of Fès, Morocco; the Trocadero Library, Paris, France; the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, France; Audiorama & Modern Dance Theater, Stockholm, Sweden (2015); ‘Canal Algérie’ TV, Algiers, Algeria; French Institute of Algiers, Algeria; Visby International Centre for Composers, Sweden;and the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative, Halifax, Canada (2014).
Simon has participated in various group shows, including: the Transpositions III biennale, Museum of Non-conformist Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2020); Year 1, La Générale, Paris, France; the Eve’s Rib art festival, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2019); Il Suono in Mostra, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Udine, Italy (2018); Digit & Rose, Museum of Non-conformist Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia; Transpositions II, Museum of Non-conformist Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2017); Transpositions, Museum of Non-conformist Art, Saint-Petersburg, Russia; Zaman/Time, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France; Arrêts sur mémoires, Gallery CDG, Rabat, Morocco; P.R.N., Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (2015), and the ‘Nocturne Halifax’ Art Festival, Halifax, Canada (2014). She has also had solo exhibitions including: Audiorama & MDT, Stockholm, Sweden; MMP, Paris, France (2015); French Institute of Algiers, Algeria, and the Art and History Museum of Tlemcen, Algeria (2014).
She has been selected for a number of art residencies, including: the Visby International Centre for Composers, Sweden (2024 & 2016), the CY Cergy Paris Université (2019-20); the “Pushkinskaya-10” Art Center, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2017, 2015 & 2013); the Atka Sailing Vessel, Greenland, Arctic (2016); EMS – Swedish Performing Arts Agency, Stockholm, Sweden (2015); the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (2014-15); the Argentinian Government Residency Program, Carlini Base, Antarctica (2014); the USF International Artists Residencies, Bergen, Norway (2012); at the Valparaíso Fundacion, Mojácar, Spain (2012); the Yeonhui Art Center, Seoul, South Korea (2011); the Kone Foundation residency (2011); and the Bogliasco Foundation, Bogliasco, Italy (2009).
She has gotten grants from CNC – French Ministry of Culture, France (2024); DRAC Île-de-France – French Ministry of Culture, France (2022 & 2020); the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Sweden (2020); the Paris-Seine University, France (2019); the French Institute of Sweden (2015); the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Sweden; the French Institute of Argentina (2014), and the Kone Foundation, Finland (2011).