± 1.5°

From September 30 to October 10, 2023, the Orangerie at the Jardin des Plantes will host the exhibition “+ or – 1.5°,” curated by the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Montpellier.

“+ or – 1.5°” is an exhibition presented by the research group “Le Champ du vivant” at MO.CO. Esba – Montpellier School of Fine Arts.  

It brings together 28 works created by students, young artists who have graduated from the school, and artist-teachers. All of them are involved in this project, and through their artistic practices and interests, they are actively engaged in exploring themes related to biodiversity and the natural world.  

How do we live amid uncertainty? How do we adapt to fluctuations and changes? How do we adapt to the powerful currents of transformation? These are the themes that drive this group.

The Orangery at the Jardin des Plantes is an ideal venue for presenting this collection of works. By its very nature and function, it is a space that responds to changing weather conditions. It empties and fills with the passing of the seasons. As a result, the works slip in and take their place. More broadly, there is also a desire to situate the exhibition within the Jardin des Plantes, a historic botanical garden and a garden dedicated to the study of living organisms.  

The works on display in this exhibition were not selected based on a specific theme. They are the result of a gradual process of assimilation, observation, listening, and experimentation. More than just a group exhibition, the aim is to allow them to coexist in this unconventional space to varying degrees.