Vegetal Art Collection

The exhibition “Vegetal Art Collection: Ursula Caruel and Guest Artists—A Dialogue with the University of Montpellier Herbarium,” on view at the Espace Bagouet from October 2, 2024, to January 5, 2025, was organized in partnership with the University of Montpellier.

Inspired by the way the University of Montpellier’s herbarium has been built up over several centuries through numerous exchanges of dried plants, Ursula Caruel chose to apply this scientific process to her artistic work.

She draws and embroiders Mediterranean plants, creating two copies of each; one of the two is sent to an artist based outside France, who does the same in return. This art collection brings together a diverse range of works by 17 international artists.

The dialogue between these two collections—one scientific, the other artistic—highlights the richness of biodiversity and the fragility of life. This exhibition thus providesUM with an opportunityUM showcase several herbarium plates and works created by the scientific illustrator Toussaint-François Node-Véran.

The opening reception will take place on October¹ at 6:30 p.m., with the artist in attendance.

This exhibition will be accompanied by an Arts/Science roundtable discussion at the School of Education on November 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Finally, the Art & Culture department will offer two workshops in November with Ursula Caruel, open to students and staff at the University of Montpellier.