Default Route
The Mystery of Mouchette | Default Route
Recently I was Googling info on the films of Robert Bresson, and inadvertantly discovered a curious website called Mouchette.org. Named after one of his films, which was adapted from a 1937 novel by French writer Georges Bernanos, the site is supposedly an homage to the original (and famously morbid) story. But being only loosely familiar with the “inspiration” of this site, I discovered an interesting Internet art project in itself.
The site was designed in 1996, and, in all fairness, it looks like it hasn’t been updated much since. However, the place is so strange and freely interactive that you tend to not care about its dated technology. Part of what I enjoyed about visiting Mouchette.org was the fact that clicking anywhere on the screen takes you somewhere, or performs a function of some sort. But you don’t know exactly where you’re going, or where you will end up. While it is no great achievement to create a website that behaves in such a way, the evocative imagery and eerie sounds are enough to entice anyone if they are open to the experience. It is like a modern surrealist maze, which both asks for and provides feedback.
Mouchette is not for everyone — if you are offended or repulsed by flies and meat, then steer clear. However, if you enjoy Avant-Garde European art (or David Lynch films), take some time to check it out. The artist, as far as I know, remains anonymous to this day.