Indian Ocean Expedition: two artists in residence.
Indian Ocean Expedition: two artists in residence.
On November 15, 2021, Monaco Explorations launched a call for artist residencies in the context of the next expedition scheduled in the Indian Ocean in October and November 2022. In response to the call, 56 applications from artists from 14 different countries were examined by the Selection Committee convened for this purpose. In February, this committee pre-selected six artists. These six artists were then invited to come and present their project to the Committee on Friday, 6 May, at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.
The Committee chose two young creators at the end of these auditions: Elsa Rigot and Rémi Leroy. They will both embark onboard S.A. Agulhas II, alongside the teams of scientists involved in this great adventure.
The composition of the Selection Committee
The Committee that has participated in the selection process since the launch of the call for residency and led the interviews was composed of the following personalities: Robert CALCAGNO, President of the Committee, Director General of the Oceanographic Institute and Managing Director of Monaco Explorations, Françoise GAMERDINGER, Director of Cultural Affairs, Virginie RAIMBERT, Director of the Heritage Institute, Björn DAHLSTRÖM, Director of the New National Museum of Monaco, Thierry LEVIEZ, Director of the Graduate School of Visual Arts of Monaco, Olivier WENDEN, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, François SIMARD, Secretary of the Advisory Committee of the Indian Ocean Expedition, Bernard REILHAC, Director of Development of the Oceanographic Institute and Gilles BESSERO, Director of Monaco Explorations.
Elise Rigot: Telling the Stories of the Saya de Malha Bank
Elise Rigot is a design artist and researcher based in Toulouse, France. Her work questions the links between natural sciences, engineering sciences, and art, as well as the perception we have of the variety of living beings, and how we could make ourselves more sensitive to them. She uses 3D technologies (3D printing, scanning, VR, X-rays, etc.) for their political and aesthetic power, as well as sound and podcasts. Putting oneself in the place of the living beings around us and adopting their point of view is one of her approaches.
On 6 May, Elise Rigot described her artistic project to the Committee © Michel Dagnino. Oceanographic Institute
Rémi Leroy shared with the Committee the artistic rendition of his commitment to the environment © Michel Dagnino. Oceanographic Institute.
Rémi Leroy: heading towards an Art-Science dialogue
Is it possible to go beyond words to tell the story of scientific research, too often confined to a hermetic and complex language? How can interdisciplinarity and fieldwork enrich the view of scientists and the public? These reflections constitute the raw material of the projects that Rémi Leroy defends. He tries to unite his different experiences (artist, engineer specialized in renewable energy, teacher) through them. His goal: to contribute to the ecological revolution by creating illustrated stories capable of getting a vast public to conceive other ways of interacting with the environment.
Four other great projects presented on 6 May 2022.
Apart from the two winning candidates, Elise Rigot and Rémi Leroy, four other participating artists were interviewed: Federico Campanale, Elsa Guillaume, Debby Mason, and Toby Wright. All of high quality, the projects were presented with passion and conviction.
14 June 2021
8 June 2021 – World Oceans Day
The Monaco Explorations project officially endorsed as part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.
On the occasion of the celebration of World Oceans Day on 8 June 2021, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission announced the first set of international actions officially endorsed as part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development.
The Monaco Explorations project is one of 66 actions officially endorsed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. This endorsement is the outcome of the consideration of nearly 250 responses to the Decade first call for action launched in October 2020.
First step: Indian Ocean Expedition
The Monaco Explorations project will begin with the Indian Ocean Expedition currently being prepared for October-November 2022. This expedition will be based on this three pillars, science, outreach and political action, in line with the objectives of the Decade and its Implementation Plan aiming “to catalyse transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development”.
Monaco Explorations Expedition to Malpelo © O.Borde. Monaco Explorations
