The commission

In the heart of the Moulins district in Lille, barely separated by a pavement and a fence, two architectural jewels face each other: the Jardin des Plantes of the City of Lille and the Observatory - Laboratory of Astronomy of the University of Lille. These two institutions are little known to the general public, although they represent an important historical and architectural heritage. Members of the municipal team of the Jardin des Plantes, professors from the Observatory of the University of Lille and the Jonckheere astronomical association wanted to promote their shared heritage and pass on their botanical and astronomical knowledge and know-how.

The artwork

Clovis Maillet and Louise Hervé designed a performance with the complicity of the commissioning group, which they passed on to them: a tale made up of stories from the two sites and drawing on science fiction. Using historical sources, science, biology and anecdotes collected on site, the two artists offered to pass on these stories and objects between the two sites. Le Jour du Cosmos is a new annual event, a celebration bringing together the Jardin des Plantes and the Observatory.

The artists

Louise Hervé and Clovis Maillet have been working together for fifteen years, creating installations and short films to be shown in exhibitions (Kunstverein Braunschweig and Kunsthaus Glaris in 2012, Walter Philips Gallery, Banff, Canada in 2013, the Cneai in 2016) and medium-length films shown in parallel in art centres, biennials and film festivals (Festival Entrevue in Belfort 2009 and 2011, La Roche sur Yon in 2014, the Environmental Film Festival in 2015, Hors-pistes at the Centre Georges Pompidou 2010 and 2015... ).