Jérôme Gence
France • Born: 1984
Beyond Reality: Virtual Worlds 

In Japan, a 2019 study estimated that around 3.5 million people aged 20 to 39 have fallen in love with animated characters or video game avatars. What happens to a society when its romantic expectations are shaped almost entirely by the virtual world rather than by relationships between people? This is the question Jérôme Gence set out to explore in one of his photo essays in Japan.

A lucrative industry has grown up around these virtual romances. In 2023, the market in merchandise linked to these imaginary worlds was worth nearly $6 billion. A growing number of specialist agencies now organise weddingstyle ceremonies known as “2D weddings”, and these events are increasingly attracting clients from abroad.

Although this sounds farfetched, this phenomenon might not be so might not be so far removed from our own reality. In France, 46% of children have a smartphone before the age of 10. These screens are no longer just practical devices but have become the very environments in which our lives now unfold.

However, Jérôme Gence does not judge; he observes to understand. For nearly ten years, he has been documenting the gradual blurring of the boundary between the virtual and physical worlds. His work explores the impact of this overlap on our society and the way we live today.

In fact, what might appear unusual on the surface raises far broader, often troubling, questions. These concern loneliness, social pressure, economic hardship, and a growing sense of exclusion in contemporary life.

Through his photo stories, Jérôme Gence explores a profound question: what happens to social connection once it moves online, and what becomes of a society that learns to love without any physical contact?

Speaking on stage at a National Geographic convention, he said: “There was a time when I found myself constantly thinking about these virtual worlds and how astonishing it all was. Over time, I came to understand how these fans must feel. They are not naïve and know perfectly well that the virtual characters are not real, yet they feel their love can last forever through these holograms.”

In a world of relentless technological progress, we are constantly being drawn into an endless stream of images, posts, and videos on our smartphones. Gence’s work encourages us to pause: to look up from the screen, stop doomscrolling, and refocus our attention so we can reconnect with the real world.

When it comes to the younger generations, these issues are not simply abstract questions; they cut right to the heart of society’s future. 

Jardin du marais.