A proposal from the Department of Culture and Creation of the Centre Pompidou with the financial support of theFrench Biodiversity Office. The forum “Biodiversity, what culture for what future? » proposes to explore these questions in 5 days of free-access events: conferences punctuated by stories from artists, a performance and a concert, 100 scientists, experts in the cultural sector and students committed to biodiversity, original and engaging artistic installations throughout the spaces of the Centre Pompidou, unique meetings with scientists and participatory workshops with the public, exceptional visits to the museum on the theme of ecology.
The 5 questions
- How is the relationship with living beings a cultural issue?
- How do the disappearance of biodiversity and the scarcity of natural resources undermine human organizations, models of life and democracy?
- How can we reconsider the coexistence of humans and nonhumans and the relationships they entertain?
- How to alert and redirect attention to an invisible catastrophe?
- What model of justice would allow the rights of the living and future generations to be affirmed in the actions of the present?
According to scientists, 1 million species are at risk of extinction due to human activities
This silent collapse is surprising, both for its massive nature and for its speed. The growth of urban areas and areas destined for agriculture, the intensive exploitation of natural resources that shortens their regeneration cycle, pollution and the proliferation of invasive species have tragic consequences: for water and biodiversity, but also for humans. Human vulnerability has increased in the face of climate change and natural disasters, part of the cultural heritage is closely linked to the environment. Time is running out to make the changes necessary to preserve the habitable conditions of the planet. The transformations to be made are profound, systemic, concern governance, solidarity, economic models and the values that our representatives transmit.
A multidisciplinary program that compares the latest creations with multiple fields of knowledge
Why address biodiversity issues at the Centre Pompidou? In fact, the richness and vibrations of life have long been present in places of art and culture: from Dürer's hare to Monet's water lilies, from Franz Marc's ponies to Gilles Aillaud's sea lions, works of art have shaped and transformed our imagination of life. If the museum is a school of attention, we are convinced that this attention can help us become aware of the crisis that species and ecosystems are going through today: the seriousness of the threats that weigh on living beings, the collective decisions that we must take to respond, will be at the heart of the discussions of this forum - so that the living, precisely, does not become a "museum piece" in the future.
Conferences and meetings
Thursday, November 21st 19:00 PM – 21:00 PM
Small room, level -1
“Alarm on the silent collapse of biodiversity” Opening conference
Friday 22 November 18:30 – 21:30
Mobilizing Attention and Artistic Creation for the Living Conversations and Stories
Saturday November 23 14:30 - 18:30 PM
Large room, level -1
“Do you speak biodiv?” » Meetings
Saturday 23 November 18:30 – 19:30
Large room, level -1
Acting under the jurisdiction of future generations Conversations and stories
Sunday 24th November 14pm – 30pm
Large room, level -1
Cover photo: Center Pompidou, Cycle Art Detox sur l'art et l'écologie, 2021 © Aurélie Cenno
