Copyleft Project

Chantier Copyleft is a project developed in collaboration with the Ecole supérieur d'art et de design des Pyrénées (ESAD Pyrénées) in Pau-Tarbes and the Institut supérieur des arts et du design de Toulouse (isdaT) as part of the programme "Gestes. Art et Savoir-faire en Occitanie".   

With artistic gesture in action as its central theme, the reception area of Les Abattoirs will welcome around thirty students from both art schools for four days. In a dynamic collective and open workshop, the group will experiment with the creation of plastic forms in situ, using a single material: raw earth.  

The modelled forms will be created in contact with the collections, exhibitions, architecture, teams and visitors to the Frac museum, in a real-time invention, attentive to interactions and the unexpected.  

In particular, the students will draw inspiration from forms gleaned from the spaces and works of the Abattoirs collections, following the logic of 'copyleft ‘. Sometimes translated as ’author's left‘ or ’copy left‘, this term, coined in the 1980s, is a play on words referring to ’copyright", which protects authors' rights and prevents copying. Conversely, copyleft opens up the possibility of copying, using, studying, modifying or disseminating the work as one wishes, freely.   

The ‘Chantier copyleft’ project draws on the creative and playful spirit of hacker culture to inspire new perspectives, and perhaps even new uses, for the collections and the Abattoirs venue itself. Copies of the works will be made using a multitude of techniques (modelling, turning, pre-forming, smoothing, detailing, gluing, assembling, rolling, flattening, soaking, mixing, mounting, etc.).  

Over the course of several days, a second, ephemeral “collection” will emerge from the earth in the temporary space of the construction site. The malleable clay material allows us to go beyond boundaries and reshape the lines between art and craft, between heritage, contemporary art and amateur practice.  

This project brings together multiple encounters: that of two schools and Les Abattoirs, that of student artists and the collections, that of Les Abattoirs and the construction site, and that of visitors and artists at work, to create a collective creation, a joint endeavour.  

Inviting us to consider the Frac and the Museum as a changing space, constantly being redefined, Chantier Copyleft embodies this shared energy: that of a changing land, of a shared endeavour and of art that is invented through exchange, flow and the unpredictable.  

The project will conclude with a collective discussion on Saturday 8 November between 2pm and 4pm.  

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The École supérieure d'art et de design des Pyrénées [Pyrenees School of Art and Design] (Pau – Tarbes) trains artists, authors and graphic designers. Located in Pau in the Espace des Arts, which also houses the Museum of Fine Arts, and in Tarbes in the remarkable Jardin Massey, the school enjoys an exceptional geographical location at the foot of the Pyrenees. The school's 250 students benefit from the dynamic atmosphere of both university towns. ÉSAD Pyrénées relies on a vast network of academic, cultural and economic partners, which guarantee its territorial, regional and national presence. The proximity of Spain encourages cross-border exchanges and the school participates in the European Erasmus+ programme.   

The school prepares students for two higher education diplomas awarded by the Ministry of Culture: the National Diploma in Art and the Higher National Diploma in Plastic Expression. Each site offers an open approach to creation, with access to various media and workshops: drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, video, digital creation, writing, performance, publishing, etc. At the Tarbes site, the ceramics workshop has historically occupied a central place, alongside and in connection with the other workshops offered by the school. In Pau, the school offers a specialisation in Multimedia Graphic Design, which opens up the fields of graphic design, typography, publishing, visual communication, new media and digital interaction.  

Established in 2011 as a Public Cultural Cooperation Institution (EPCC), ÉSAD Pyrénées is supported and funded by the cities of Pau and Tarbes, the Ministry of Culture and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.  

The isdaT - institut supérieur des arts et du design de Toulouse [Toulouse Higher Institute of Art and Design] is a public higher education institution dedicated to training artists and creators in the fields of art, design, graphic design, music and dance. Each specialisation offers specific courses that combine artistic practice, theoretical reflection, collective experimentation and cultural context. Located in the heart of Toulouse, isdaT affirms its roots in the artistic and cultural life of the city by increasing its collaborations with cultural institutions, creative venues and local initiatives. isdaT is also developing a large network of partnerships in France and internationally. This dynamic allows students to benefit from numerous opportunities for mobility, residencies, exchanges and collaborations abroad, thus enriching their training and opening them up to the world.

Initial training, continuing education, courses open to all audiences and amateurs, all of the training programmes respond to the social and educational importance of developing creation and transmission in our rapidly changing society. The isdaT thus forms a community of artists, creators and professionals in the making, capable of engaging with contemporary issues, contributing to developments in the artistic field and building meaningful careers, both here and elsewhere.

Established as a public cultural cooperation institution (EPCC), isdaT welcomes more than 400 students in training and nearly 450 students for public courses each year. The institution is funded by the Toulouse City Council, Toulouse Métropole and the Ministry of Culture.