"I AM YOU, TOO" humanist and minimalist artworks against prejudice
Perception, prejudice, and the fragile work of seeing.
Project Statement
I AM YOU, TOO explores how perception is shaped by context, conditioning, and inherited narratives. Through optical illusion and visual contrast, the work questions the instability of first impressions and the fragile mechanisms through which identity and difference are constructed. What appears opposed is, in reality, identical. The project invites viewers to move beyond immediate judgment and reconsider the invisible structures influencing the way we see others, and ourselves.
Optical illusion inspired by Adelson's perceptual theory.
Concept of the minimalist art
The words " White" and "Black" appear visually different due to their surrounding gradients and contextual contrasts. Yet both are in fact composed of the exact same grey. The illusion becomes a metaphor: our perception is influenced by context, expectation, and conditioning far more than we realise. Inspired by multicultural experiences, human relationships, and the emotional resonance surrounding questions of identity and prejudice, the work transforms illusion into a space for reflection and empathy. Rather than delivering a direct political statement, I AM YOU, TOO seeks to create a moment of visual destabilisation, where certainty fades, and recognition begins.
Same blood.
Unique fingerprints.
Editorial Feature
“I AM YOU, TOO” was highlighted by the international publication
STRATUM Journal / Elsewhere Global.
"A reflection on perception, prejudice, and the instability of seeing."
« We found the project thoughtful and visually direct, especially in the way it uses illusion, contrast, and perception to speak about prejudice, shared humanity, and the instability of first impressions. The relationship between the visual mechanism and the social message feels clear and compelling. »
STRATUM Journal / Elsewhere Global
Read the full editorial feature
Work "I am you, too" has been selected for the international platform "Mon œuvre pour la paix" (My Work for Peace)
, initiated by Marie-Louise Beauchamp (Canada) a significant recognition for a deeply humanistic message that fosters peace.
French contemporary Artist by-33
Benoit Béal (By_33) is a French multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work explores perception, illusion, identity, and human connection through minimalist visual language. Coming from a background in spatial design, object design, visual communication, and artistic experimentation, his practice combines conceptual aesthetics with emotional and symbolic narratives.
Organized by the City of Saint-Chamond—to use their own words:
This unifying exhibition brings together local and international artists around a shared ambition: to create a space for connection, dialogue, and sharing.
Through the theme "Without Borders," the exhibition highlights the universal power of art—a language capable of transcending geographical and cultural boundaries and fostering a dialogue between different sensibilities.
Conceived as a place for exchange and openness, it showcases contemporary creativity while affirming the importance of the bond between cultures.
📍 Espace Notre-Dame, 7 Rue du Rivage, 42400 Saint-Chamond
"To love is to understand.
To understand is to see."
© By_33 / Benoit Béal