The project unfolds through the stories of eight different characters, each representing a natural element such as fire, water and earth. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
You may have heard the phrase “eyes speak.” Alliance Française Madras’s latest exhibition truly brings this idea to life. As you walk through the space, you enter a realm where eyes of different shapes, sizes and colors follow your presence, sometimes revealing something unexpectedly intimate about you.
The Fortune Teller by Julie Stephen Cheng is an interactive projection that puts viewers face to face with nature spirits. These encounters unfold into personalized messages within a dream-like environment brought to life by augmented reality.
Visitors are invited to download an app before entering the space, which allows them to scan the artworks and uncover the hidden messages they reveal. “The Fortune Teller explores how nature can be a source of inspiration, and how its elements can shape and reveal our destiny. The project unfolds through the stories of eight different characters, each representing a natural element – fire, water, earth and others – coming together to create a larger narrative,” says Julie.
After scanning the artworks, viewers can see the message. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
One message says, “You’re in the middle of a storm…maybe a little chaos is necessary for renewal,” while others read as calm affirmations, “You are beautiful,” and “We don’t understand things the same way.”
Julie says, “Each of these characters has a different way of seeing the world. Their eyes can be animated through augmented reality to share their personal perspective. It’s a way to convey that even as humans, each of us sees the world differently, and that understanding comes from learning to see through other people’s eyes.”
The inspiration for the sculptures is linked to India through the paper doll Daruma. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
One of the most playful moments comes when you enter a room with a giant screen, where explosions of color and fast-moving statues move faster than the eyes can see. At first, the experience seems almost tragic, with streams of text flashing by too fast to make sense. Press a button on a stand in one corner, and it all comes together – pausing just long enough to reveal something personal. One message read, “It’s time to step back,” while another said, “Try to overcome the obstacle.” Depending on what you are doing in life, the messages may seem extremely appropriate.
“The inspiration for the figurines is linked to India through the daruma. The daruma is a small paper doll, widely known in Japan, believed to help fulfill wishes. It originates from the monk Bodhidharma in India. Symbolically, the doll is depicted with only one eye; once the goal is achieved, the other eye is drawn out. The daruma is deeply linked to the symbolism of vision,” Julie says.
Blending technology with quiet introspection, the exhibition reminds us that meaning often emerges when we allow ourselves to see the world from a different perspective.
Fortune Teller, presented by the French Institute in India in collaboration with Alliance Française Madras, will run from 10 am to 6 pm till February 20 at Alliance Française Madras, Nungambakkam. Entry fee.
published – February 16, 2026 12:33 PM IST