As part of iMAL Projects Office 2026, Sohel is selected for a FabLab experimentation Residency, where he worked on his project “Le bolincheur,” an experimental video game with an alternative controller where players interact only through their gaze.

"The project I worked on is a video game with the working title ‘Le bolincheur.’ This video game is both an interactive experience and an installation. To play, one or more players move around two screens set up back-to-back. In this arrangement, they can only see one of the two screens at a time. As the game progresses, players discover a scene in which a boat is standing still in the middle of the sea. At times, they hear the story of a narrator, who appears only on the screens that no one is looking at. This game system makes use of both what is visible and what is invisible. What is not seen is an integral part of the work.

This project was developed following theoretical research on issues of performativity and the male gaze in video games. Due to its historical context, this medium is steeped in a history laden with military, colonial, and sexist ideologies. With this project, I seek to adopt a critical perspective on video games and to use interactivity to find different ways of transmitting meaning and emotions.

During my residency at iMAL, my work focused on the physical aspects of the game’s installation. I developed a structure that integrates screens and cameras capable of tracking eye movements.
I spent some time drawing up plans for the setup, which gave me a chance to learn the basics of parametric 3D modeling. With the helpful advices of Élie, who guided me on the technical aspects, I designed a modular structure that can continue to evolve as the game is developed and adapt to different exhibition spaces.
To experiment with different solutions, I went back and forth between computer-aided design and the machines in the fablab, which allowed me to fabricate the parts I had envisioned. The challenge was to ensure the structure could be transported, so it had to be fully disassemblable.
Thanks to this residency, I was able to learn about 3D printing and laser cutting. These two tools allowed me to iterate quickly and design parts precisely tailored to my needs.

The completion of this structure will mark the start of a new phase in the development of this video game. Following this residency, I will be able to use this camera system to continue designing the game mechanics and test them in their final form."

Sohel Bourgeau studied computer science and game design in the south of France before continuing his training at the École de Recherche Graphique in Brussels.

His practice consists of developing video games inspired by reflections on interactivity. His work questions public perception, particularly through research into the mechanics of the gaze.

In his work, he is interested in the collective perspective, exploring it through experiments during game jams and the organization of group exhibitions.