Planètes Tropicool

“Tropicool Planets” is the result of a workshop led over several months by the Rennes-based artist Marc de Blanchard (graphic designer, visual artist, and musician) in four elementary school classes, in collaboration with the Centre national du graphisme. This multimedia installation consists of a soundtrack and a video mapping projection created by the students, resulting in an imaginary planetary system.

The four classes, ranging from 1st to 5th grade, had to invent a planet and its satellites using drawing techniques and stop-motion animation with cut-out paper (frame-by-frame animation). The result is a fantastical tropical planet where humans have yet to set foot. By combining hand-drawing with the use of a professional video mapping software (Resolume Arena), the students were able to project their drawings onto giant paper lanterns. Inspired by the fauna and flora of Earth’s tropical zones, they created and brought to life their own animals and plants. Like astronauts aboard a spacecraft, visitors are invited to contemplate these planets in a darkened exhibition space.

These workshops were carried out in partnership with the DSDEN (Direction des services départementaux de l'Éducation nationale de la Haute-Marn) and Le Signe, centre national du graphisme in Chaumont. They involved two 1st-grade and 4th-5th grade classes from the Arc en Barrois elementary school, and two 4th-5th grade classes from the Chevillon elementary school—86 students across 4 classes in the Haute-Marne Department.

Special thanks to their teachers:

Sophie Begue, Coline Viot, Alexandre Le Morvan (Chevillon School), Béatrice Leroy Flouvat, and Hélène Richard (Arc en Barrois School)

This project was supported by the City of Chaumont, the Ministry of Culture, DRAC Grand Est, the Grand Est Regional Council, the Haute-Marne Departmental Council, and the Reims Board of Education.