COnnexion Science & Art

COSA Montpellier’s recent activities have focused mainly on three key areas:

1. Collaborative artistic productions between artists and scientists

From 2020 to 2022, by contributing discussions, images, and scientifics concepts, COSA took part in the creative process of the play Folle Alliée by the Anaïs K. company. This work, which explores bipolar disorder through the characters of a fashion-creator artist and a pharmacy researcher, was staged at the Théâtre de l’Astrolabe on April 8, 2022.

In December 2021, COSA welcomed American visual artist M. Hooper Schneider into the protected laboratories of ICGM to direct the shooting of his film Divination Through Decomposition, based on the combustion of mercury thiocyanate carried out by COSA members.

The work was screened at MO.CO Panacée, Montpellier, from February 12 to April 24, 2022, as part of the exhibition Pourrir dans un monde libre.

In 2022, COSA hosted visual artist Franklin b. and Fine Arts student C. Lecoq in residence at ICGM to prepare the exhibition Light-Matter, centered on the stability of atomic electronic shells and colors in matter.

In 2023, COSA elcomed artist-designer C. Teboul into BIOLUM’s laboratories to create a work based on the growth of colored halophilic bacteria. Invisible life, seen was exhibited at Galerie Ephémère, Villeneuve-les-Maguelone, in February 2023, and at French Design Week in September 2023 at Halle Tropisme, Montpellier.

2. Art-science performances for scientific research staff

In 2022 and 2023, COSA organized two art-science exhibitions in the Chimie Balard Recherche building: Light-Matter by Franklin b., from October 7 to 28, 2022, and Dust of Life – Dust of Stars by La Couleur des Électrons (D. Cot, B. Rebière), from October 2 to 20, 2023, highlighting electron microscopy images.

From May 13 to 16, 2024, COSA hosted the multidisciplinary performance Troubles, the Art of Being Alive (theater, cello, dance) by A. Khaizourane, exploring the reality of a researcher’s profession.

On March 12, 2024, COSA organized a lecture titled Unveiling the Secrets of Heritage Works by Making Their Atoms Speak, presented by Prof. D. Gourier, on the physical and chemical analysis of ancient artworks and archaeological objects to solve historical mysteries.

3. An original tool for scientific and cultural outreach to the general public

COSA presented talks titled Bipolar Disorders as Models of Chaos Theory, Introducing Chaos into Matter to Probe It, and Order or Disorder in the Mineral World, during the Science and Art evening Ode to Chaos, held at the Agora du Crès on September 28, 2021.

COSA also presented The Challenges of Building Bridges Between Science and Art at MO.CO Thursdays, on March 10, 2022. Together with artist Franklin b., COSA designed and hosted the stand Shining (Dis)Order at the UK’s science communication festival The Great Exhibition Road Festival, focused on luminescent solid materials, in London on June 15–16, 2024.

Between 2021 and 2024, COSA contributed to Brain Awareness Week evenings by offering interventions combining science and art: To Sense Is to Feel in 2021 (Prof. I. Parrot, B. Raux), Bipolarity Between Creative Genius and Mental Disorder in 2022 (Dr. R. Belzeaux, A. Khaizourane), Touch to Feel in 2023 (Dr. A. François, company Tri-D), Brain and Creativity: Beyond the Myths in 2024 (S. Karaki, S. Fattouh).

COSA also organized guided tours of the Light-Matter and Dust of Life – Dust of Stars exhibitions for the general public and school groups during the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Fête de la Science.