activity report - Fondation d`entreprise Hermès
Transcription
activity report - Fondation d`entreprise Hermès
fondation d’entreprise hermès activity report 2014 Creative breath Contents Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Activity report 2014 5 Editorial by Pierre‑Alexis Dumas President, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 7 Introduction by Catherine Tsekenis Director, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès KNOW‑HOW AND CREATIVITY 12 Supporting art in the making 14 33 Artists’ residencies at the Hermès workshops New Settings The Prix Émile Hermès Partnering the Aperture Foundation …and support for photography 34 sharing new work 36 Simple Shapes: an exhibition Exhibitions at the Foundation’s art spaces Support for the visual arts Support for the performing arts Support for design 20 28 32 40 56 58 60 KNOW‑HOW AND TRANSMISSION OF SKILLS 66 Supporting artisanship 68 78 The Skills Academy Support for skills transfer and professional training Promoting new trades and artisan careers 82 Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity 84 90 Call for projects: ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’ The 2014 biodiversity conference Partnering IDDRI Supporting biodiversity 92 Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 94 Action for training and skills Discovering new trades and careers Initiatives for biodiversity 74 88 89 96 98 104 105 106 Statutes, budget, headquarters Board of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Team and contact 3 5 Editorial by Pierre‑Alexis Dumas Patronage presents the perfect challenge, demanding a deep lungful of inspiration in preparation for the exercise! The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès has begun its second term, with renewed dedication and with more resources at its disposal. A new breath? Yes and no. Yes, of course, because we are embarking on a second phase, a fresh chapter, full of new and promising initiatives. But at the same time, no, because our inspiration remains that which has breathed life into everything we do since the Foundation’s earliest days. So what do we live and breathe here at the Fondation? We believe in implementing an innovative approach to patronage, more targeted, more fluid, more imaginative, more committed, more involved with our partners and beneficiaries. More than ever, the creative breath that informs our activities, in areas where our support is legitimate, expected and recognised, is the same breath that gives impetus to concrete acts of solidarity – concerned about preserving things which might otherwise be lost, but equally curious about novelty and invention. The same oxygen feeds the flame of our belief that know‑how goes hand in hand with knowing how to be. Pierre‑Alexis Dumas President, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Sharon Harper, Moon Studies and Star Scratches, Nº. 9, 4 to 30 June 2005, Clearmont, Wyoming, from the exhibition From Above and Below, The Gallery at Hermès, New York © Sharon Harper 7 Introduction by Catherine Tsekenis CREATIVE BREATH! Creative breath! Creativity is the life force of the men and women we support. Partnering their work means giving them opportunities to take that vital impetus further, providing them with a fair wind and the freedom they need to flourish. In spring 2014, Susanna Fritscher – a visual artist and long‑time friend of the Foundation – told us about her interest in creating a work at the cristalleries Saint‑Louis. She dreamed of encasing breath itself in a crystal envelope: a poetic expression of such delicacy that its production would doubtless pose a formidable technical challenge to artisans at the workshop. At the same time, Jean de Loisy was preparing the exhibition Simple Shapes, including a section devoted to ‘breath’. The two met, and Susanna’s wish was granted with a commission for a work to feature in Simple Shapes at the Centre Pompidou‑Metz, and in the upcoming Asian incarnation of the exhibition at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo. Is this not the essence of the gift of creative breath? Listening with an open, receptive mind, sharing, and bringing people together… SUPPORT FOR PROJECTS IN THE MAKING Our contemporary culture demands results, but we should not allow this to obscure the factors and conditions that produce those results: time for experimentation, time to develop a bolder, more in‑depth approach… Everything we do at the Foundation is driven by our commitment to engage with these processes as vital creative territories in their own right. In 2014 we intervened upstream, at the genesis of projects steered by artisans, designers, visual and performing artists, development professionals and environmentalists, helping them to breathe life into new commitments, new ventures. REACHING OUT The projects we support are forged in the privacy of the artist’s studio, in rehearsal rooms, or deep in the heart of a region and its community. This behind‑the‑scenes work produces concrete objects or intangible results which the Foundation has a duty to communicate to the public at large, complementing our campaigns of effective support. 2014 saw an enhanced focus on the effort to reach out and share what we do, as the most effective way to increase recognition for our beneficiaries. Reaching out and communicating with the public is every bit as important in the context of projects focusing on skills transmission or biodiversity, whose results are measurable solely in terms of their impact on a specific population or environment. With this in mind, we have amplified our social media presence in 2014, as an essential tool for effective contemporary communication. CREATING SYNERGIES The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès steers and supports actions which we believe demonstrate a commitment to justice and solidarity in response to specific needs on the ground, and which reflect our core identity. Our patronage is defined by our determination to accompany the missions of organisations in the public interest. Our support for public institutions is conceived as a cooperative partnership based on shared values and a focus on the same fundamental issues. We have solidified this model for closer public/private cooperation in our collaborations with the Centre Pompidou‑Metz (in 2014) and the Théâtre de la Cité internationale in Paris (since 2010), and we remain open to new partners, now and into the future. 2014 has been a year of intense activity, focused on the gift of creative breath! Canova association (H3 programme): restoring the medieval village of Ghesc, Italy © Canova Catherine Tsekenis Director, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Contents Know‑how and creativity KNOW‑HOW AND CREATIVITY 10 Core issues and overview by Catherine Tsekenis 12 Supporting art in the making 13 ‘Creative breath’, by Ann Veronica Janssens 14 33 Artists’ residencies at the Hermès workshops Condensation: an exhibition New Settings New Settings in New York The Prix Émile Hermès Partnering the Aperture Foundation …and support for photography 18 20 26 28 32 34 Sharing new work 35 ‘Creative breath’ by Jean de Loisy 36 Simple Shapes: an exhibition Exhibitions at the Foundation’s art spaces Atelier Hermès, Seoul La Verrière, Brussels Le Forum, Tokyo Third Floor, Singapore The Gallery at Hermès, New York TH13, Bern La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis Support for the visual arts Support for the performing arts Support for design 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 Lee Ufan, Relatum - L’ombre des étoiles, from the exhibition Lee Ufan Versailles, France, 2014 © Tadzio 56 58 60 9 11 Know‑how and creativity Core issues and overview by Catherine Tsekenis 12 June 2014 saw the opening of the exhibition Simple Shapes at the Centre Pompidou‑Metz. For some years, the Foundation has envisaged a public exhibition reflecting one of our central preoccupations: an exploration of the intrinsic power of objects shaped by nature or the hand of man, and whose simple, essential forms exert a particular fascination. Meeting with curator and critic Jean de Loisy and Laurent Le Bon, the then director of the Centre Pompidou‑Metz, we quickly became aware that the plan for the exhibition resonated closely with their own ideas.The resulting event exceeded all expectations. By the close of the exhibition on 5 January 2015, over 170,000 visitors had experienced its 19 sections or ‘chapters’, featuring over 250 works. Jean de Loisy’s magic transcends his subject; his generous spirit is expressed in his concept for an exhibition experienced both as a meandering, poetic journey and an erudite, intellectual joy. The exhibition was the Foundation’s first large‑scale co‑production, complementing our regular activities. In 2014, our commitment to art and culture was expressed in a diverse range of projects testifying to the sector’s vast potential for the application of creative skills in the service of a particular, speculative world‑view. Marcel Duchamp, Air de Paris, 1919‑1939, Paris, David Fleiss Collection, Galerie 1900‑2000, from the exhibition Simple Shapes, Centre Pompidou‑Metz © Succession Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP, Paris 2014/Photo courtesy of Galerie 1900‑2000, Paris All of our programmes offer a specific focus on support for new work in the making. Invited by the curators of the Foundation’s contemporary art spaces, fifteen artists presented exhibitions of original work around the world.Working in situ, we believe that the immersive experience of new, creative contexts answers an essential need for fresh experiences, enriching each artist’s practice.This year, three new artists took up residencies at the Hermès workshops (the leather‑working workshop in Pantin, Holding Textile Hermès in Bourgoin‑Jallieu, and Puiforcat in Pantin), working in dialogue with artisans at each centre.We remain attentive to new forms of artistic experiment, too. The annual call for projects for our New Settings programme focuses on work at the crossroads of the arts, leading to five new pieces for theatre, co‑produced by the Foundation. Meanwhile, candidates for the Prix Émile Hermès addressed contemporary lifestyles with designs for objects facilitating ‘Time to yourself ’. In addition to Simple Shapes – an exciting new partnership venture – the Foundation organised annual programmes of exhibitions at our contemporary art spaces in Brussels, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Bern, New York and Saint‑Louis. New Settings at Paris’s Théâtre de la Cité internationale was a cherished highlight, and our role as a facilitator and catalyst for new talent was consolidated at the D’Days festival in Paris, which this year featured an exhibition of prototypes by the twelve finalists in the Prix Émile Hermès. Paralleling this, the exhibition Condensation presented works by the sixteen artists‑in‑residence at the Hermès workshops from 2010 to 2013, at Le Forum, Tokyo, and at Atelier Hermès in Seoul. In a world of ever‑changing complexity, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is committed to support and promote new creative work, mindful that art sharpens our perception and – now more than ever – stands as a guarantor of our freedom. Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making Supporting art in the making and sharing new work ‘Creative breath’, by Ann Veronica Janssens Supporting young talent, encouraging new work from visual and performing artists alike, breathing new life and vigour into the international, contemporary creative scene: what better way to engage with the world of art today? Taking action upstream in the creative process is one of the key aims of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, ensuring artists enjoy complete freedom to exercise their creativity by providing the tools, expertise, funding, time and space they need to bring new works to fruition. Sensitive to the practical and creative needs of the artists it accompanies, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès offers residencies, exhibitions and support for new work in the making, giving artists the resources they need to experiment at the crossroads of the materials and techniques at their disposal and those yet to be invented in this intuitive living laboratory. The Foundation’s own programmes (artists’ residencies, New Settings, the Prix Émile Hermès) and partnerships (with the Fondation Henri Cartier‑Bresson and the Aperture Foundation) demonstrate our commitment to offer optimal support for artists and designers throughout the creative process, from inception to making and sharing the finished work with the public at large. Ann Veronica Janssens Artist Mentor to Clarissa Baumann in the artists’ residencies programme 13 Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making Artists’ residencies Artists’ residencies at the Hermès workshops VISUAL ARTS Since 2010, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès has invited young visual artists, mentored by leading figures on the contemporary scene, to engage with exceptional artisan skills at the Hermès workshops in France. The annual programme gives artists’ residencies complete creative freedom to produce new works using fine materials (silk, leather, silver, crystal) in collaboration with the workshop artisans. Each residency invites one artist to revisit his or her practice in a completely different setting, responding to the challenge to create new work as the outcome of a unique artistic adventure. Accompanied by a bursary, each residency begins with a period of immersion in the life of the workshop, during which participating artists familiarise themselves with the gestures, language, tools and techniques of the different trades practised at the site. The artist’s project is conceived and refined in the ensuing, creative phase of the programme, followed by a feasibility study. Finally, the piece is produced at the workshop, drawing on the artisan team’s exceptional expertise and skills. In 2013, the exhibition Condensation featured the sixteen works produced during the programme’s first four years. Presented first in Paris, the show toured to Tokyo and Seoul in 2014. In 2014‑15, the fifth season of residencies features three young artists – Lucie Picandet, Jennifer Avery and Clarissa Baumann – proposed and mentored by Jean‑Michel Alberola, Richard Fishman and Ann Veronica Janssens, respectively. Lucie Picandet in residence at the Pantin leather workshops © Tadzio ‘I began with the idea of taking a gouge to stacked layers of leather, like digging out a path to death. Then I saw the leather marquetry work produced at the workshop, and I realised that these flat, puzzle‑like images could contain as much depth as the furrows I had planned to hollow out. And so I found what it was that interested me most in the medium of leather: this perfectly flat surface, where lines governed by subterranean forces come together in relation to one another.’ Lucie Picandet * The Pantin leather workshops produce the iconic Hermès bags. The cutting studio (ateliers de la Coupe) works upstream, cutting leathers and fine skins for a variety of products. Downstream, the repairs workshop handles the after‑sales care and maintenance of Hermès leather goods. Lucie Picandet at the Hermès leather workshops in Pantin*, mentored by Jean‑Michel Alberola Qui me soit chair Lucie Picandet’s Qui me soit chair (‘Flesh of my flesh’) is a symbolically charged, circular work in leather, created during her residency at the leather‑cutting (Coupe et Table) and repair workshops in Pantin. Conceived on a small, accessible scale (180 cm in diameter), the leather marquetry tondo evokes a striking encounter with death, infinity and eternity: the forms of a woman and crocodile intertwine in an endless cycle like the ancient symbol Ourobouros. Lucie Picandet studied theology, philosophy and aesthetics and graduated from the École nationale supérieure des beaux‑arts in Paris. Her allegorical design draws on multiple references, engaging closely with the unique properties of fine leather, and the exceptional skills of the Hermès artisans. 15 Know‑how and creativity Jennifer Avery, performance marking the end of her residency at Holding Textile Hermès, Bourgoin‑Jallieu © Tadzio ‘My life in France, and my work, overlapped into a paradox, a performance, and a feminist action. A patchwork of fragmented identities, a path of pins or needles, a sublime fairytale, a tactile decadence. Our collaborations are performing objects – a critique and a celebration of the performance of eros and femininity. Because of this, perhaps more than anything else I am interested in empathy.’ Jennifer Avery * Established in 2012, the Société nouvelle de confection, mainly situated in Bourgoin‑Jallieu, is devoted to hand‑made textile accessories for women and men. The site includes a prototype workshop and a University of Hand Skills, and forms part of Holding Textile Hermès, the house’s Silk and Textile cluster. Jennifer Avery at Holding Textile Hermès*, mentored by Richard Fishman Pupa, Poubelles, Bêtes Jennifer Avery – a visual arts graduate from Brown University in Providence (United States) – worked in residence at the Hermès silk and textile workshops in Bourgoin‑Jallieu. Collecting off‑cuts and remnants – the last vestiges of production – Avery worked with seamstresses in the assembly workshops to create an ensemble of figures using these recovered materials. Organised into Pupa, Poubelles and Bêtes (‘pupae’, ‘trash’ and beasts’), the pieces are a shared exploration of the artist’s obsessive fascination with dolls.The figures were presented as part of an installation, a fictive dolls’ boutique in which Avery played the role of sales assistant for two photo sessions.The photographs, and the dolls themselves, are the only record of these two, solitary performances that emerged from a collective venture at the Hermès workshops. Supporting art in the making Artists’ residencies Clarissa Baumann in residence at Puiforcat, Pantin © Tadzio ‘Metalwork has been central to mankind’s material culture for thousands of years. And so, for me, working with metal constituted a challenge: does a metal object bear a physical memory? What catalogue of gestures transforms it? My residency at the workshops was like archaeology in reverse as it examined the object and the everyday work of the artisans, a methodology that adopted the form of a game.’ Clarissa Baumann * Founded by Émile Puiforcat in Paris, in 1820, the family business initially specialised in cutlery‑making, then evolved to embrace fine metal‑working towards the end of the 19th century. Puiforcat became part of the Hermès Group in 1993. Today, the workshops are located in Pantin, on the edge of Paris. Clarissa Baumann at Puiforcat*, mentored by Ann Veronica Janssens Cuillère, Sphère A spoon (Cuillère) becomes a thread, and a sphere (Sphère) is gradually dematerialised: two pieces produced by Clarissa Baumann in residence at Puiforcat were thus transformed in performances involving the workshop’s artisans. Gesture and extreme economy of means are twin focuses for this Brazilian artist, who had already worked in the studio of her mentor, Ann Veronica Janssens, at the École nationale supérieure des beaux‑arts in Paris. At the residency in the Pantin workshops Baumann posed some real technical challenges to the silversmiths. A simple spoon was stretched to its utmost extent, obtaining a delicate silver thread. Manipulated at each end, the thread becomes a vector for the transmission of sound between two people. Complementing this, a metal sphere is polished to its smallest possible size. Barely visible but not entirely disembodied, the object is passed from hand to hand by the artisans while describing the techniques used – until it has (probably) disappeared altogether. 17 Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making Condensation: an exhibition Following its initial showing in Paris, at the Palais de Tokyo, Condensation toured to Asia (Japan and Korea) under the curatorship of the French critic Gaël Charbau. The sixteen pieces created during the first four years of the Foundation’s programme of artists’ residencies testify to a wealth of creativity.The touring exhibition further highlights the production processes involved: each work is a testament to the context in which it was created, setting new technical challenges through close collaboration between the artists and artisans. In addition to highlighting these key aspects of the residencies programme, the exhibition’s Asian tour reflects the Foundation’s commitment to showcasing the participating artists to a wider, international public. Condensation at Le Forum, Tokyo 19 March – 30 June 2014 Condensation at the Atelier Hermès, SEoul ‘The Condensation tour has enabled us to experiment with new connections between the works and the Foundation’s exhibition spaces. At Le Forum in Tokyo, designed by Renzo Piano, the building’s strong identity extended the alchemical metaphor of the exhibition’s title. Gallery floors at Le Forum are framed by a curtain wall of glass blocks, establishing a powerful connection between the building’s interior and its outdoor environment. I tried to accentuate the building’s shifting natural light so that the public could experience the works as if over a cycle of several days and nights – a metaphor for the extended period of dialogue and exchange between the artists and artisans, and a reference to the work of the alchemist, who follows the cycles of the sun and moon. At the Atelier Hermès in Seoul, I approached the exhibition as a mise en abyme of the residencies’ programme as a whole. The scenography was structured by display panels covered in stainless steel – a common feature in Seoul architecture. The works, the exhibition space and the visitors were all reflected in the panels, creating curious, superimposed images that established a continuity between the various elements present in the show. Light, silk, leather, silver, crystal… each medium melted into the other through a process of reflection (in every sense). The exhibition took the time to look in on itself while observing from different angles the many connections that make the residencies such a rich experience.’ Condensation exhibition at Le Forum, Tokyo, 2014 © Nacása & Partners Inc. 2 October – 30 November 2014 Participating artists were invited to tour with the exhibition, to meet Japanese and Korean art professionals, and the two countries’ art media. Exhibition curator Gaël Charbau organised talks and exhibition tours in both cities. Gaël Charbau Exhibition curator Condensation exhibition at Atelier Hermès, Seoul, 2014 © Kiyong Nam Condensation 19 Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making New Settings New Settings PERFORMING ARTS The Foundation’s New Settings programme encourages artists experimenting with new theatrical forms, through support for the production and staging of projects at the crossroads of artistic disciplines, processes and areas of expertise. Conscious of the need to acknowledge and enshrine innovative, experimental work in the contemporary artistic landscape, New Settings offers practical support for unprecedented, cross‑disciplinary collaborations leading to distinctive, new works of theatre. Selected productions from recent editions of the programme enjoy international exposure through the Foundation’s partnership with FIAF (French Institute Alliance Française) in New York, the organisers of the city’s annual Crossing the Line festival. New Settings #4 Théâtre de la Cité internationale Paris, France 3 – 15 November 2014 Round table: ‘Performing arts/Visual arts’ Théâtre de la Cité internationale Paris, France 15 November 2014 With: Vincent Beaurin and Justin Godfrey, Al Hamrâ, 2014 © Mathilde Delahaye Vincent Beaurin , visual artist Jacqueline Caux , contemporary music specialist, experimental and documentary film‑maker Autumn 2014 saw the fourth annual New Settings festival from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, at Paris’s Théâtre de la Cité internationale. Following an international call for projects, five new works based on encounters between artists working in different disciplines (the visual arts, dance, theatre, comics and cartoons, design, music and more) were produced and performed in public for the first time. The fourth New Settings festival was the first to be partnered by the monthly review art press, with a special supplement covering the event. Art press also co‑organised a round‑table discussion on the performing and visual arts, on 15 November 2014 at the Théâtre de la Cité internationale. A panel of artists, critics and artistic directors explored processes of exchange and influence between the performing and visual artists, and the wider interaction between performing and gallery spaces in the contemporary arts. Bastien Gallet , writer, philosopher, co‑director of the publishing house Musica Falsa Laurent Goumarre , radio producer (France Culture), broadcaster (France 5), deputy artistic director of the Biennale de la danse de Lyon Stéphane Malfettes , director of the Louvre auditorium, writer on rock culture, art press editorial advisor on the performing arts Hervé Robbe, dancer and choreographer Moderator: Catherine Millet , art critic and editorial director, art press. Sculpture and installation: Vincent Beaurin Music composed and performed by: Justin Godfrey Lighting designer: Sylvie Garot Technical advisor: Stan Bellœil Production: Lebeau & associés Artistic committee New Settings #4 Pascale Henrot and Olivier Bertrand Théâtre de la Cité internationale, Paris Lili Chopra, Simon Dove and Gideon Lester French Institute Alliance Française, New York Catherine Tsekenis and Blandine Buxtorf‑D’Oria Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, Paris New Settings has established itself as a key event in the Paris cultural rentrée (autumn season). New Settings #4 drew the festival’s biggest‑ever audience. With the support of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès (New Settings programme) Vincent Beaurin & Justin Godfrey Al Hamrâ Seated on the stage, the audience gazes at the empty rows in the domed auditorium. A strange installation dominates the centre of the space – a large flower with seven satiny petals looms over a podium set with various percussion instruments.When American virtuoso Justin Godfrey plays the hang drum, the result is a total sensory experience – sound and vision in perfect harmony. Devised by French visual artist and colourist Vincent Beaurin, the flower captures the attention with a mesmerising display of iridescent colours, playing delicately across its geometric petals – a visual extension of the enchanting, crystalline music filling the space of the theatre. A momentary flirtation with synaesthesia. World premiere. The show brought fresh audiences to New Settings, attracting the wider contemporary art public. 21 Know‑how and creativity Jessica Mitrani and Rossy de Palma, Traveling Lady, 2014 © Sasha Arutyunova Director and visual artist: Jessica Mitrani Performer: Rossy de Palma Jessica Mitrani & Rossy de Palma With: Joan Juliet Buck, Jordan Morley, Lola Pashalinski, Jim Muscarella, Nikki Columbus Traveling Lady Digital production: Alex Czetwertynski Music composed by: Andres Levin Costumes: threeASFOUR Scenography: Christian Wassmann Stage adaptation: Nikki Columbus Lighting designer: Roderick Murray Animation and sound: Brian Close at Georgia Technical direction: Sarah Ford Costumes and puppets made by: Elizabeth Fisher Technical assistant: Joanna Bem‑Haja With the support of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès (New Settings programme) The Traveling Lady of the title is the real‑life American journalist Nellie Bly, an avant‑garde figure (and woman) who broke Phileas Fogg’s fictional record by journeying around the world in 72 days.This picaresque adventure from another century is the inspiration for a sophisticated contemporary production combining video, theatre, music and song, featuring the distinctive silhouette of Spanish actor Rossy de Palma playing the role of the journalist on stage and in a graphic, black‑and‑white video by Colombian artist Jessica Mitrani.The sparky, stylised play of mirrors and stage doubles takes the spectator on a delightful, witty journey to the heart of the female identity. French premiere. World and US première at the Crossing the Line festival, New York in partnership with the FIAF and the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès. Supporting art in the making New Settings Hervé Robbe and Benjamin Graindorge, La Tentation d’un ermitage, 2014 © Laurent Ciarabelli Concept and choreography: Hervé Robbe Scenography and costumes: Benjamin Graindorge Costumes made by: Catherine Garnier Music by: Romain Kronenberg Lighting: François Maillot Libretto and staging: Ninon Prouteau‑Steinhausser Dancers: Alexia Bigot, Olivier Bioret, Yann Cardin Singers: Blandine Bouvier, Charlotte Plasse, David Colosio Production: Travelling&Co With the support of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès (New Settings programme) Co‑production: Fondation Royaumont Production in residence at Théâtre 71, Scène nationale de Malakoff, Centre national de danse contemporaine – Angers with the support of La Ménagerie de Verre (Studiolab programme) at the Atelier de Paris Carolyn Carlson Hervé Robbe & Benjamin Graindorge La Tentation d’un ermitage Nothing is fixed, everything is possible: in La Tentation d’un ermitage, dancers use language, singers use gesture, and every aspect of the production and staging suggests a state of perpetual flux. Inspired by the American writer and thinker Henry David Thoreau, choreographer Hervé Robbe and designer Benjamin Graindorge have created a world apart, exploring the possibility of a return to the primeval simplicity of the natural state. The piece’s minimalist, pared‑down approach is expressed in the movements and sounds of a small band of dancers and singers, and the radical simplicity of the wooden set and lighting. Scenography and choreography come together with great subtlety in a work that invites the spectator to embark on their own existential quest. World premiere. Expanding the New Settings audience, the show attracted a substantial public from the world of design. 23 25 Christophe Blain, Barbara Carlotti and Jean‑François Auguste, La Fille, 2014 © Jorge Fidel Alvarez Drawings: Christophe Blain Songs written and performed by: Barbara Carlotti Director: Jean‑François Auguste Musical director: Benoît de Villeneuve Videos by: Magali Desbazeille Lighting: Nicolas Joubert Costumes: Clair Raison With: Barbara Carlotti, Jean‑Pierre Petit, Benoît de Villeneuve, Benjamin Esdraffo, Jérémie Régnier, Jesse Vernon, Stéphane Bellity, Tibo Barbillon Production: PULP Festival/La Ferme du Buisson‑Scène nationale de Marne‑la‑Vallée With the support of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès (New Settings programme) Co‑production: Pbox, l’Onde‑Théâtre et Centre d’art de Vélizy‑Villacoublay with the support of the Centre national des variétés, Adami and the SACEM Christophe Blain & Barbara Carlotti & Jean‑François Auguste La Fille A wild escapade in songs and images. Singer Barbara Carlotti takes inspiration from the rebel seductresses and romantic cowboys peopling the pages of comic books by Christophe Blain.The performer narrates a fast‑paced adventure in words and music, against a backdrop of projected images that spring to life under the artist’s pencil. Bursting out of the frame and onto the stage, the graphic novel is the counterpoint to the unlikely story of a girl and a cowboy who meet, part and search for one another in the vast, desert landscapes of the American West. Directed by Jean‑François Auguste, the production features inventive stage trickery, bringing a touch of humour to this arresting, provocative show. Clédat & Petitpierre and Sylvain Prunenec, Abysse, 2014 © Mathilde Delahaye Visual artists: Yvan Clédat and Coco Petitpierre Dancer: Sylvain Prunenec Clédat & Petitpierre & Sylvain Prunenec Production: Lebeau & associés Abysse With the support of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès (New Settings programme) Co‑production: Association du 48 Abysse took New Settings #4 out to the foyer and esplanade of Paris’s Théâtre de la Cité internationale for the first time. Emerging into the public space, the performance was the first of its kind since the launch of New Settings in 2010.The result of an encounter between two visual artists – Clédat & Petitpierre – and choreographer Sylvain Prunenec, Abysse is an installation offering a wry take on the traditional aquarium environment, in which a tentacled creature similar to a sea anemone gently writhes. Nestled at the heart of a rock sculpture, the dancer activates the ‘set’ via a series of slow, aquatic movements and a powerfully evocative, gestural vocabulary imbued with the history and collective memory of modern and contemporary dance. First New Settings performance staged outside the auditorium, in the public areas of the Théâtre de la Cité internationale. Work premiered in the public space, accessible to audiences and bystanders. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès would like to thank Pascale Henrot (director of the Théâtre de la Cité internationale) and her team for their enthusiasm and loyal support of the New Settings programme. Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making New Settings in New York For the second consecutive year, New York’s Crossing the Line festival (8 September – 20 October 2014) featured two productions from the New Settings programme, in partnership with the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès: a new work premiered in 2014, and a piece from New Settings #3. Launched in 2007 by the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), Crossing the Line has established itself as a reference for cross‑disciplinary projects combining art and performance, making it the ideal transatlantic forum for selected productions premiered as part of the New Settings programme.The Foundation’s partnership with FIAF reflects its commitment to promote the public performance and dissemination of works supported at every stage of their creative process. Jessica Mitrani & Rossy de Palma Traveling Lady Premiered at New Settings #4 World premiere Gilles Jobin & Julius von Bismarck Quantum Premiered at New Settings #3 US premiere The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès would like to thank Marie‑Monique Steckel (President of FIAF), Lili Chopra (Artistic director, FIAF), Simon Dove and Gideon Lester (co‑curators of Crossing the Line). Jessica Mitrani and Rossy de Palma, Traveling Lady, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, 2014 © Sasha Arutyunova New Settings in New York 27 Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making Prix Émile Hermès The Prix Émile Hermès DESIGN 2014 edition Presented every two years, the Prix Émile Hermès rewards design projects addressing key aspects of our evolving contemporary lifestyles. The prize reflects the Foundation’s commitment to support this vital, creative field and its engagement with our changing society. Open to designers under 40 from all over the world, the competition invites entries responding to a specific, themed call for projects, with a particular emphasis on innovation and sustainability. Winners each receive a cash prize designed to help them move forward to the next stage in their career – embarking on a substantial new project, or setting up their own agency. The winners are announced at a high‑profile event in the design calendar, and their projects are revealed simultaneously on the dedicated Prix Émile Hermès website. The twelve prototypes receive international exposure via a temporary exhibition and a permanent online gallery. A shortlist of twelve entries is selected by an international jury of leading design professionals. Each finalist receives support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès to produce a prototype, drawing on specific artisan expertise. Quality of execution is an important criterion at this stage of the competition.The resulting prototypes remain the creative property of their designers. Each project is subsequently reassessed by the jury; prizes and special mentions are awarded to the stand‑out entries. www.prixemilehermes.com ‘Time to yourself’ Jury members Everyone benefits from taking a break, securing some private space at work, finding a moment to step out of the constant stream of information and demands on our time and attention: the third edition of the Prix Émile Hermès invited designers to address a vital need, namely ‘time to yourself ’.The 2014 theme explores our need to take time out from our increasingly crowded, stressful daily lives, to focus, escape or ‘recreate’.The theme engages explicitly, too, with a long design tradition of furniture for relaxation. Michele De Lucchi President of the jury Architect, Italy Chantal Hamaide Editorial director Intramuros magazine, France Pascale Mussard Vice‑president of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès and artistic director of ‘petit h’, Hermès maison, France Penny Sparke Over 700 designers from 54 countries answered the 2014 call for projects. A jury of design professionals, chaired by Italian designer Michele De Lucchi, selected a shortlist of twelve entries, each of which received funding for the prototype stage. The resulting objects offered a variety of responses to a unique challenge – the suspension of time itself. Professor of design history Kingston University, United Kingdom Pierre‑Alexis Dumas President of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès and artistic director of the house of Hermès, France Oki Sato Designer, Japan Three projects were awarded a joint first prize: the jury chose to divide the €90,000 total prize money equally, highlighting ‘three pertinent responses in different typologies: an object, a piece of furniture, a small‑scale work of architecture’.The jury also awarded a special mention to a duo of finalists, in recognition of their ‘artisan project illustrating the diversity of cultures represented in the competition’. The prototypes feature in a permanent online gallery and were displayed at Paris’s Espace Commines during D’Days in May 2014, in an exhibition designed by the BIG‑GAME collective. Over 700 entries were received from designers in 54 countries. Finalists and winners receive high visibility at a key event in the design calendar. Over 580,000 visits for the online gallery. Logo by Catherine Zask, title sequence visuals by Babel 29 Know‑how and creativity Supporting art in the making Winners Joint 1 st prize Finalists Johan Brunel & Samuel Misslen Anaïs Benoît Colin Peillex Switzerland Rocking Feet Switzerland Jeux de mains Atelier jes, France Maciej Chmara Ania Rosinke La Capsule ventilée Austria Moment for Oneself Austria A space to think A wooden cabin with natural ventilation thanks to a chimney extractor and air circulation in the lower part of the structure. Inside the space, a net forms a hammock for siestas and relaxation. Sébastien Cordoleani Yashesh Virkar Spain Hush India Rocking lounge Kelvin Lim Sander Brouwer & Mara Ribone Singapore Window Seat Italy Solitude ‘Our capsule is a space that invites contemplation, inactivity and sheer sensory pleasure.’ Paul Tubiana Award ceremony for the Prix Émile Hermès 2014 in Paris, 22 May 2014: Michele De Lucchi (president of the jury) and Catherine Tsekenis (director, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès), with the winners © Alexy Benard Switzerland Léon A partition crafted in fine card that unfolds like a fan, allowing the user to create private space whenever they choose. A simple, elegant way to escape the gaze of others, balanced on a wooden base along which the screen unfolds. ‘Léon incorporates an element of surprise as it unfolds, because of its rectangular shape. The name is a reference to the cry of a peacock opening its fanned tail.’ Antoine Lesur & Marc Venot France Hut Hut is a contemporary wall alcove allowing individuals to lean back and enjoy a moment’s privacy in today’s increasingly regulated workspace.The steel mesh structure is lined with wool felt and covered in leather, for optimal sound insulation. ‘The idea is to create space for a micro‑break rather than a siesta.’ Special jury commendation Suman & Poulami Biswas India Mola Mola is a seat conceived as a maternal cocoon. Made entirely from eco‑friendly bamboo and cane, the armchair becomes a private retreat, offering a sense of protection, comfort and wellbeing. ‘We were inspired by Jamini Roy’s painting Mother & Child, showing a child seated on his mother’s lap, enfolded in her sari.’ Exhibition of shortlisted entries for the Prix Émile Hermès at Espace Commines, Paris, 2014 © Marc Domage Prix Émile Hermès 31 Know‑how and creativity Partnering the Aperture Foundation Support for art in the making photography …and support for photography PHOTOGRAPHY In 2014, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès announced a new alliance with the Aperture Foundation, established in New York in 1952 to support and promote the art of photography. The alliance reflects the Foundation’s commitment to enhanced support in this area, partnering the production of new photographic work in association with a leading, internationally acclaimed organisation in the field. Complementing its transatlantic alliance with the Aperture Foundation, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès provides active support for a number of photography initiatives in France. Since 2013, the Foundation has been the sole patron of the Prix Henri Cartier‑Bresson, providing the winning photographer with support for a project that would not otherwise come to fruition.The biennial award honours an established photographer with close affinities to the world of documentary.The 2013 winner Patrick Faigenbaum devoted the following year to his project Kolkata, a portrait of an Indian artist and her everyday family and working life.The new series will form the basis of a publication and exhibitions in 2015, at the Fondation Henri Cartier‑Bresson in Paris and the Aperture Gallery, New York. Beginning in 2015, the alliance will take the form of residencies and exchanges in France and the United States, culminating in a series of exhibitions and publications. Launching the programme, the Foundation invited Agnès Sire, director of the Fondation Henri Cartier‑Bresson, to propose a French‑based artist interested in creating new work in the United States. In 2016, a representative of an American institution chosen by the Aperture Foundation will propose a US photographer for a working residency in France, focusing on a specific new project. Each residency will lead to an exhibition at the Aperture Gallery in New York, and an accompanying publication in French and English, produced by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès and the Aperture Foundation. The alliance also offers international exposure for the winner of the Prix Henri Carter‑Bresson: in 2015, Aperture will host an exhibition by the winning photographer, Patrick Faigenbaum, ensuring a prominent New York showcase for his work following its exhibition in Paris. Patrick Faigenbaum, Watermelons, in Rajabazar district, north Kolkata, July 2014 © Patrick Faigenbaum In Brittany (north‑west France), the Foundation works with the Centre d’art et de recherche GwinZegal, a regional arts centre founded over ten years ago, organising a broad range of photography‑related activities – residencies, lectures, exhibitions, publications and training courses. The centre’s work focuses on three core areas: photographic history and heritage, rural life, and contemporary art photography. Under its director Paul Cottin (the curator of TH13 in Bern), GwinZegal offers long‑term support for young photographers and their work, from inception to display and publication, together with activities and events aimed at raising the public awareness of photography and the photographic image. The Foundation also supported a workshop at Brittany’s Musée Bigouden, producing contemporary designs for the traditional coiffe (lace headdress) worn by Breton women.The group workshop was led by photographer Charles Fréger, who had produced a photographic series depicting young Breton women in traditional costume during a residency at GwinZegal.The centre subsequently held an exhibition exploring the notion of folklore. Prix Henri Cartier‑Bresson France Support from 2013 GwinZegal – Centre d’art et de recherche Guingamp, France Support from 2014 Musée Bigouden Pont‑l’Abbé, France 25 – 26 October 2014 Support in 2014 33 Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work Supporting art in the making and… sharing new work ‘Creative breath’, by Jean de Loisy We have all been moved by a work of art, a dancer’s movement, an ancient sculpture, an artisan’s accomplishment, an object’s patina of use – those moments when something impresses itself upon us, arrests us, gives us pause. And so we tell ourselves that, although we may find it hard to explain, the thing we have seen matters to us, speaks to us. We feel that, deep down, it has touched us and opened unexpected pathways. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès sees support for art in the making as inseparable from the need to reach out. Far from an end in itself, support for the commissioning and production of new works of art is a vital complement to initiatives aimed at showcasing artists’ work to the widest possible public. The Foundation is committed to sharing a wealth of artistic diversity, promoting the public recognition of artists and their work at our art spaces around the world, and through support for external projects and events. If the exhibitions Simple Shapes and Simple Gestures have had the good fortune to elicit this response in their viewers, it is perhaps because they reflect certain firmly‑held beliefs. The first is that artists now, and down the ages, have used their contemporary techniques to explore the same fundamental questions about who we are, so that presenting their works all together, with no hierarchy of date, style or medium, helps us to appreciate them – whether ancient or contemporary – for the timeless quality they all share. Secondly, the presence of the artists themselves both before and during the exhibition is guaranteed to sweep aside any lingering doubts: we believe that to see them in action, creating new work, and to discover at first hand the depth of their engagement, their hesitation, their research, is the best way to win new enthusiasts to their cause. Lastly, we recognise the risks involved in the creative process, the importance of commissions for new work, and the need to accept their inherent uncertainties and tensions. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès has made all this possible, and as each new work steps nervously into the spotlight, we sense the extent of the risks taken, the adventure entered into – even the quick, nervous breath of the artists who have been bold enough to make the effort, to put themselves forward. It is here, at the point where the work’s aesthetic content merges with the practical evidence of its making, that the public truly engages with the innovation and creativity that art and artists have to offer. jean de loisy President, Palais de Tokyo Exhibition curator, Simple Shapes and Simple Gestures 35 Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work Simple Shapes Simple Shapes: an exhibition VISUAL arts Simple Shapes marks an important new step for the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès: the exhibition is the first devised and presented by the Foundation in partnership with a leading public institution – the Centre Pompidou‑Metz.The event is the result of a three‑way dialogue, including Jean de Loisy, president of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and curator of Simple Shapes. Simple Shapes embraces the unique, cross‑disciplinary approach adopted by the Centre Pompidou‑Metz since its opening, revisiting the history of art, and reflecting the core values of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès in a celebration of mankind’s creative shaping of objects, tools and artworks. Centre Pompidou‑Metz 13 June 2014 – 5 January 2015 It’s now almost three years since artist Emmanuel Saulnier, Pierre‑Alexis Dumas, Catherine Tsekenis, Laurent Le Bon (the director of the Centre Pompidou‑Metz) and myself were looking at a collection of images I had gathered together, at the Foundation’s offices in Paris: works by great artists like Brancusi or Kapoor, archaeological artefacts, blades from pre‑dynastic Egypt, but also simple pebbles smoothed by the sea, tools worn down by generations of handlers, technological items, propellers, scientific curiosities, mathematical functions transposed into wood or plaster in the 19th century… Disparate elements produced by widely differing processes, but which nonetheless constituted a fascinating, visually alluring ensemble. Their shapes had a number of points in common: they were individual and plain, with no extraneous detail to distract the attention. As if stripped to their most basic essence but nonetheless replete. They seemed to have been born of wholly natural processes, to have evolved according to their own laws, without human intervention. They radiated a serene, timeless beauty, beyond the circumstances or the particular time in which they were made or first seen. question is a historical mystery: why did these shapes – first seen over fifteen thousand years ago, and widespread from pre‑Hellenic Greece to the second millennium BCE – disappear so suddenly and completely from Western art? And then, after an absence of some two thousand years, why did they make such a remarkable comeback in the mid‑19th century, becoming enshrined as icons of the Modernist aesthetic in the 20th century? And a final question, addressed at the end of the exhibition, with Giacometti’s Cube placed alongside Dürer’s Melencolia and the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey: what do these shapes tell us? They are so indifferent to mankind that they have erased all trace of human intervention, and yet, like the drifting of clouds or the insistent inrush of the sea, they exert an endless fascination. These mysteries breathed life into the project and were, perhaps, the secret of its extraordinary charm. Jean de Loisy President, Palais de Tokyo, Paris Exhibition curator, Simple Shapes That shared moment marked the birth of the exhibition, which was conceived as a visual itinerary seeking answers to a number of questions. The most important was a question of aesthetics: why do such simple, understated objects – an egg, a Cycladic head, a Melanesian head‑rest, a Gallo‑Roman vase, a grindstone, a bud sculpted by Jean Arp – draw our gaze and exert such fascination over time, irrespective of our culture, or our reasons for admiring them? The second Illustrated catalogue, co‑published by the Centre Pompidou‑Metz and the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, in French and English. Souffle, a work by Susanna Fritscher, was commissioned by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès for the exhibition Simple Shapes and produced at the cristalleries Saint‑Louis. Exhibition director: Jean de Loisy Associate curators: The exhibition at the Centre Pompidou‑Metz attracted 173,000 visitors. Sandra Adam‑Couralet and Mouna Mekouar Simple Shapes tours to Japan’s Mori Art Museum in 2015, in an expanded version under the title Simple Forms: Contemplating Beauty, featuring selected new pieces. Scenography: Laurence Fontaine © Bastien Morin 37 Simple Shapes exhibition at Centre Pompidou‑Metz, 2014 – section 4: ‘Who Can Do Better Than That Propeller?’ In the foreground: GE90 Design Team, Jet Engine Fan Blade (model GE90‑115B), 2001 © Centre Pompidou‑Metz/Photo Rémi Villaggi ‘Simples Shapes provides us with new perspectives. Simple Shapes exhibition at Centre Pompidou‑Metz, 2014 – section 3: ‘Flow’ Olafur Eliasson, Round rainbow, 2005 Courtesy Olafur Eliasson; Neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York © ADAGP, Paris 2014 © Centre Pompidou‑Metz/Photo Rémi Villaggi It is like a journey through time and space, an arborescence that creates connections beyond traditional categories. It is itself a three‑dimensional form, packed full of confrontations and emotions. It examines our views and offers thoughts on our ability to create forms. It invites each of us to make our own way through these remarkable works, and in the process humbles us. In the face of this emotional experience, I can only say how pleased I am that this project has become a reality and that these Simples Shapes can now be shared with the public.’ Simple Shapes exhibition at Centre Pompidou‑Metz, 2014 – section 8: ‘Beyond Geometry’ Tony Smith, Ten Elements, 1975‑1979 (3 of the 10 elements), Hubert Looser Collection, Zurich © ADAGP, Paris 2014 © Centre Pompidou‑Metz/Photo Rémi Villaggi Pierre‑Alexis Dumas in a preface to the exhibition catalogue Simple Shapes The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès would like to thank cordially Laurent Le Bon (director, 2010 to 2014) and his team at the Centre Pompidou‑Metz. Know‑how and creativity Exhibitions at the Foundation’s art spaces VISUAL ARTS Located across three continents, the Foundation’s seven art spaces hosted new exhibitions and installations created in situ throughout 2014. Planning for each space is entrusted to an independent curator responsible for defining an annual theme and devising two or three shows of work by French and international artists. Embracing all media, the exhibitions focus on new work, with additional on‑site events designed to engage and interact with the public at large. Admission is free; exhibitions at the Foundation’s art spaces enjoy a high profile on the local and wider contemporary art scenes. Events at the Foundation’s art spaces were marked by two new developments in 2014. First, the network welcomed a new gallery, La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis, in the eastern French department of Moselle.The Foundation is responsible for temporary exhibitions at the space, in partnership with institutions across the Lorraine region, spotlighting the museum’s local roots and its commitment to the production and display of new work by regional contemporary artists.The first partner institution, for the 2014‑15 season, is the Centre Pompidou‑Metz. Atelier Hermès Seoul, Korea La Verrière Brussels, Belgium Second, 2014 saw the last of a remarkable series of exhibitions at TH13 in Bern and The Gallery at Hermès in New York.The Foundation’s support for photography – the medium showcased at the two galleries – will be redefined and extended in 2015, especially in the United States, through a new partnership with the Aperture Foundation encompassing residencies, exhibitions and publications on both sides of the Atlantic. Le Forum Tokyo, Japan Third Floor Singapore The Gallery at Hermès New York, United States TH13 Bern, Switzerland La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis Saint‑Louis‑lès‑Bitche, France Sharing new work The Foundation’s art spaces 41 43 Atelier Hermès, Seoul The newly‑renovated and remodelled Atelier Hermès re‑opened its doors with the exhibition Condensation. After Paris and Tokyo, Seoul hosted the third incarnation of the group exhibition presenting new works created as part of the programme of artists’ residencies steered by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès. A total of sixteen works in crystal, silk, leather or silver plate explore the theme of alchemy, with this third hanging focusing on the magical qualities of materials.The exhibition’s curator – French art critic Gaël Charbau – presented the pieces in a play of light and shade designed to ‘reveal time itself, and the expertise guiding the precise [artisan] gestures that have brought them into existence’; gestures based on an exchange of ideas and know‑how between the young visual artists and the artisans who accompanied them during their residencies at the Hermès workshops in France. Complementing the residencies’ survey of the young French creative scene, the Atelier Hermès focused on Korean contemporary art with a show of work by the finalists for the 15th Hermès Foundation Missulsang. The group exhibition introduced artists from a variety of different horizons, testifying to the diversity of the contemporary Korean scene. Work by the competition finalists embraced design, photography and collaborative approaches, in an unflinching examination of the discipline of contemporary art.The 2014 winner is Minseung Jang. Condensation 2 October – 30 November 2014 Hermès Foundation Missulsang, 15 th edition 19 December 2014 – 15 February 2015 Condensation exhibition at Atelier Hermès, Seoul, 2014 © Kiyong Nam International jury of the 15 th Hermès Foundation Missulsang Eungie Joo Curator, Sharjah Biennial 12 Alexis Vaillant Chief curator at the CAPC museum of contemporary art, Bordeaux, France Fang‑Wei Chang Senior curator at Taipei Fine Arts Museum Kong Sung‑Hoon Named ‘Artist of the Year 2013’ by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea Hong Seung‑Hye Artist, whose work featured in a solo exhibition at the Atelier Hermès in 2012 Condensation at the Atelier Hermès was accompanied by a specially published journal, and a talk by the curator. Special viewings were held for the media, and students. Over 5,000 visitors attended both exhibitions held at Atelier Hermès. Minseung Jang, winner of the Hermès Foundation Missulsang 2014 © Kiyong Nam 45 La Verrière, BruSSelS CONCRETE UTOPIA With each new exhibition at La Verrière, I find myself thinking of the gallery as a kind of ‘other place’ – a secret space unconstrained by the demands of the art market (because nothing we show is for sale) or the institutional logic of maximum return on outlay, in terms of visitor numbers. And so, in this ‘protected’ space, we have an opportunity to invite artists to create works ‘other’ than those they might produce elsewhere. A quiet invitation to take risks, to try something new – freed from the obsession with success or failure, the finished product, its immediate appeal or premature censure that too often dictates art forms today. An invitation to create a work that is neither a response nor a reaction, but an active statement in its own right. Not a sensational art ‘event’ but a catalyst for creativity. Quietly audacious, not removed from the world of art, but alongside it. The voice at the back of the room. Slightly off‑beat but immediately accessible to anyone prepared to look. Hubert Duprat exhibition at La Verrière, Brussels, 2014 © F. Delpech This suspension and reappropriation of time and space resonates perfectly with the spirit of Marcel Duchamp, the inspiration for the series Gesture, and thought at La Verrière. In this context, Hubert Duprat, an unusual, highly original artist, keeping his distance from the art world but acclaimed and discreetly influential, created an exhibition of tremendous subtlety centred on a monumental installation in polystyrene and shagreen – a subversive play on the shifting value of raw materials in art. Benoît Maire combined intellectual rigour with his unerring faith in form to set out a new, horizontal compositional form comprising raw materials and objects on the ‘canvas’ of La Verrière’s gallery floor. Agence (Kobe Matthys) pursued his unique approach, presenting a dizzying collection of law suits questioning the essential nature of specific objects. Hubert Duprat 26 April – 12 July 2014 Benoît Maire LETRE 6 September – 18 October 2014 Agence Assembly 7 November – 13 December 2014 LETRE exhibition by Benoît Maire at La Verrière, Brussels, 2014 © Fabien de Cugnac In his definition of ‘heterotopias’ – very real, ‘other’ places – Michel Foucault evoked a ‘break with real time’ and their own ‘function in relation to other spaces in society: they are either illusory spaces, or spaces of perfection.’ Each exhibition at La Verrière is accompanied by a journal published in three languages (English, French and Flemish). Artists debated with the public during talks organised by ISELP Brussels (the Institut supérieur pour l’étude du langage plastique), and at two events exploring a specific legal case, as part of Agency’s exhibition at La Verrière. Guillaume Désanges La Verrière partnered Art Brussels, as a highlight of the contemporary art fair. Curator, La Verrière Assembly exhibition by Agence at La Verrière, Brussels, 2014 © Agence 47 Le Forum, Tokyo The 2014 season at Le Forum explored materials in contemporary art – the solid materials such as leather, crystal, silver and silk, the body we all share and, finally, the material of light itself – in an attempt to express the essence of immateriality. The exhibition Condensation showcased the Foundation’s programme of artists’ residencies. The featured artworks prompted public debate on issues of particular relevance to the Japanese public, focusing on the alchemy between the know‑how of young contemporary artists and their approach to the materials and ancestral skills of the Hermès workshops. Le Forum’s 2014 summer season featured a number of contemporary art performances. Tsuneko Taniuchi transformed her ritual Micro‑Events into ephemeral artworks over a period of 66 days. Embodying six female characters, the artist explored themes of resistance, happiness and exchange, through performances around events such as barter or marriage. The works highlighted the interactive nature of performance, as a superb expression of the links between the artist, the work and its viewer. Encounters with the ‘other’ are the essence of Taniuchi’s work. Her performances are wholly unpredictable, with no preconceived scenario. The body becomes a tool for the reactivation of history. A waitress uses ‘Klein blue’ to express her ‘Blue Monday’, while a John Cage score serves as background for a gymnastics broadcast on the radio; a homeless woman gives her own version of Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’, and a Ninja girl fills her mouth with a bone, in a reference to Paul McCarthy’s ketchup. Tsuneko Taniuchi, Wedding (performance), from the exhibition Micro‑Events at Le Forum, Tokyo, 2014 © Maria Tomé Ligyung has worked with light throughout her career. Countertransference is a majestic piece that seeks to redefine visual art by questioning the imperfections and limits of the visible world. The Serpent’s Kiss is a new work engaging with Le Forum’s distinctive, shifting natural light. Ligyung aims to draw the brilliance of the sun, whose physical presence is magnified at the time of the solstice. The second work, The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, was first exhibited in 2001. A brightly lit white space annihilates the possibility of darkness and shadow. Visitors find themselves immersed in a hallucination. Paradoxically, we sense a potential presence only once we close our eyes. Condensation 19 March – 30 June 2014 Tsuneko Taniuchi Micro‑Events 18 July – 21 September 2014 Ligyung Countertransference 31 October 2014 – 7 January 2015 Countertransference exhibition by Ligyung at Le Forum, Tokyo, 2014 © Nacása & Partners Inc. Each exhibition at Le Forum was accompanied by a publication. A dedicated journal was published specifically for Condensation. The curator led guided visits of the exhibition for art students. Reiko Setsuda Spectators were invited to take part in performances by and with Tsuneko Taniuchi. Culture&Window Group Manager Commissaire du Forum Le Forum welcomed 32,000 visitors in 2014. Condensation exhibition at Le Forum, Tokyo, 2014 © Nacása & Partners Inc. Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work The Foundation’s art spaces Third Floor, SinGAPORE Transition: change, movement, passage, transformation, conversion, adaptation, adjustment, alteration, evolution, metamorphosis. In 2014, Third Floor saw exhibitions by artists Aiko Tezuka and Ran Hwang, whose inspirational projects explore the perception and evolution of materiality in today’s digital age. Meanwhile, Korean‑born Ran Hwang created a landscape in the Confucian scholarly tradition, using over a million paper buttons and specimen pins, precisely positioned and hammered into 21 Plexiglas panels. This monumental work was enhanced by a video projection of a phoenix – that revered mythical creature – creating a harmonious, enchanting experience for visitors to Third Floor. Aiko Tezuka Certainty/Entropy 30 May – 27 July 2014 Ran Hwang Becoming Again 17 October – 31 December 2014 In a globalised art world, where traditional forms are increasingly displaced by the convenience of new media technologies, Certainty/Entropy and Becoming Again prove that a perfect marriage of tradition and innovation is possible. Through the act of meticulously unravelling fabrics by hand, Japanese artist Aiko Tezuka created compelling compositions of loosened threads, reducing industrially produced textiles to their constituent parts. Inspired by Singapore’s cultural diversity, these multi‑coloured fabric works featured a vibrant assortment of birds, butterflies, flowers and fruit patterns interlaced with iconic modern symbols such as silhouettes of nuclear and environmental hazard warnings. Like a playful kitten unravelling yarn, Tezuka exposed the inner structure of these compositions – a glimpse of the artwork collapsing in upon itself. Both artists, together with their respective teams of artisans, deliberately emphasised the role of manual gesture in the creative process, relegating the technology that pervades our daily lives to the background. The result: tactile experiences that cross over from past to present, acting as a bridge between the tangible and the intangible. Aiko Tezuka, England 1, 2014, from the exhibition Certainty/Entropy at Third Floor, Singapore, 2014 © Edward Hendricks Over 1,200 visitors attended the exhibition by Ran Hwang at Third Floor. Emi Eu Curator, Third Floor Becoming Again exhibition by Ran Hwang at Third Floor, Singapore, 2014 © Edward Hendricks 49 Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work The Foundation’s art spaces The Gallery at Hermès, New York When I was conceiving this year’s programming for The Gallery at Hermès, I found strong shared themes between Miranda Lichtenstein’s and Sharon Harper’s work: they are both fascinated by traces and impressions, both on photographic paper and on our collective consciousness. They are American women of the same generation. They each have a very solitary artistic practice – Lichtenstein in a studio and Harper deep in the landscape. Lastly, both exhibitions cover almost a decade of work, highlighting the creative process as they move from series to series. As an artist exploring the still‑life genre, Miranda Lichtenstein has turned objects into images; but given their singularity as Polaroids, these works are also objects unto themselves. They are small, tactile and imperfect. Sharon Harper – who counts the moon, stars and sun as her subjects – explores the intersection of technology and perception. Three distinct but inextricably linked series present the viewer with images they could not see without the camera. Some photographs are created over a period of days, weeks and, in some cases, months on a single sheet of film inserted and reinserted into her large format camera. Miranda Lichtenstein Polaroids 11 April – 4 June 2014 Sharon Harper From Above and Below 19 September – 7 November 2014 Confounding our expectations of time and space, Harper gravitates toward experimentation: she does not know exactly what the final image will look like when she is making it. Her work lives at the convergence of photography’s technical capabilities and its poetic, even sublime, potential. Whether photographing in France, Japan or Italy, Lichtenstein creates complex compositions. She looks to classic still‑life subject matter (flowers, fruit, vases), but challenges our assumptions with misaligned shadows or distorting reflective surfaces. In the last set of images, which were made specifically for this exhibition, Lichtenstein worked in her Brooklyn studio pushing the distillation of form to the edge. Miranda Lichtenstein, New York #2, 2011, from the exhibition Polaroids at The Gallery at Hermès, New York, 2014 © Miranda Lichtenstein Miranda Lichtenstein’s Polaroid series New York was produced specially for the exhibition, at her studio in Brooklyn. Cory Jacobs Curator, The Gallery at Hermès In parallel with the exhibition From Above and Below, a second solo show at Rick Wester Fine Art, Chelsea, generated positive synergies around Sharon Harper’s work. Sharon Harper, Moon Studies and Star Scratches, Nº. 4, June – September 2004, from the exhibition From Above and Below at The Gallery at Hermès, New York, 2014 © Sharon Harper 51 Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work The Foundation’s art spaces TH13, Bern Photography is a mortal medium with the power to kill life. Tom Wood’s reflection on the complex motives surrounding the act of photography perfectly expresses the artist’s great finesse in relation to what might at first glance appear a relatively simple, even banal process. Photography is nothing more than straightforward representation, ‘sampled’ from a world permanently poised between what was and what will be. It is also the (perhaps unconscious) projection of our empirical experience of living in that world, the accumulation of successive fragments of our lives – the lives of the photographer, and of all those who receive photography as viewers. In this context, photography is more than a simple statement. It interacts with us, setting subtle mechanisms in motion, small (sometimes harmless) impulses that provoke questioning, emotional reactions, a change of perspective. Tom Wood’s work is all about sincerity, in his quest to capture a city: his home city of Liverpool, whose streets he has explored for over thirty years, always careful not to betray the world he depicts, the society of which he himself is a part. His work seeks that same sense of belonging, of integration, in its fundamental effort to reflect an authentic identity, undisguised, complex, fragile and contradictory. Wood’s portraits of women, shown at TH13 from 14 March to 14 June 2014, are a key aspect of this vast œuvre dedicated to the city of Liverpool. Ordinary, anonymous women of all ages are depicted among friends or family, alone, in pairs or small groups. The pictures capture his subjects’ private worlds while at the same time preserving a non‑intrusive, gentlemanly distance. In complete opposition to photography constructed around ‘intangible visual rules’, Tom Wood’s images show tremendous formal liberty. Like the everyday life he captures, his photographs are heterogenous, fragmented, disparate, reinforcing the ‘evident’ quality in his work, its indisputable truth. But for the ‘magic’ to work, it is vital that the photographer’s sincerity towards his or her subjects, the people captured willingly or otherwise by the lens, is never called into doubt. Sincerity is vital not only for the act of ‘taking’ the photograph, but also as a fundamental aspect of the different forms the photographic object may take – as an exhibition, book or publication… If not, we risk sweeping the art of photography away on a tide of ironic, knowing ‘winks’ and references whose only purpose is to showcase the photographer’s technical skill. Tom Wood, Heather Level, Undated, from the exhibition Women at TH13, Bern, 2014 © Tom Wood Tom Wood Women 14 March – 14 June 2014 Paul Cottin Curator, TH13 In 2014, Oliver Sieber’s book Imaginary Club (with photographs from the eponymous series, shown at TH13 from 1 November 2013 to 23 February 2014) was voted ‘Photobook of the Year’ by Paris Photo and the Aperture Foundation. 53 Know‑how and creativity La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis The Foundation’s art spaces Simple Gestures 22 September 2014 – 1 March 2015 With: Jean‑Marie Appriou Aneta Grzeszykowska Ali Kazma Eva Kotatkova Guillaume Leblon Natacha Nisic Melik Ohanian Gabriel Orozco Émilie Pitoiset Julien Prévieux Jean‑Luc Vilmouth Have you ever watched a glass blower at work? The careful manipulation of the blow tube, the puffed cheeks, the stops and starts, the spiralling ball of molten crystal: a gestural performance determined, no doubt, by careful, measured adjustments, but which remains inaccessible and mysterious to the first‑time visitor to the workshops at Saint‑Louis. This essential mystery drove us to celebrate the glass blowers’ curious ballet, in the exhibition Simple Gestures. The exhibition gathered works from Saint‑Louis’s historic collection, by artists highlighting the effective, persistent importance of gesture and – especially, paradoxically – manual skills, in this digital age: the French word manufacture (‘workshop’) comes from the Latin, meaning ‘hand‑made’. A contemporary selection of works celebrated the subtle, manual skills, the ‘automatic’ gestures of everyday life, gestures alien to mechanical repetition, or the expressive gestures of human relationships. Sharing new work La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis, joined the network of exhibition spaces under the artistic directorship of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès. The Foundation’s new partnership scheme entrusts curatorial programming at La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis to cultural institutions from the Lorraine region, each for a season of three consecutive exhibitions. The first is the Centre Pompidou‑Metz. Simple Gestures was devised by Jean de Loisy and Sandra Adam‑Couralet, as curator and associate curator of the sister exhibition Simple Shapes, at the Centre Pompidou‑Metz. Over 3,000 visitors attended the exhibition from September to December 2014. Gabriel Orozco, Boulder Hand, 2012, video, 54’’ loop, from the exhibition Simple Gestures at La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis, 2014 © Gabriel Orozco From the timeless erosion of a pebble in the palm of the hand, to the ‘mechanical’ actions of our daily lives, the virtuoso manipulation of tools, dance, or the elementary movements that engender music or sculpture, and, latterly, our predefined swipes back and forth across electronic screens – these different registers of movement, interpreted by artists, form the essential subject matter of the exhibition, surveying the most ancient and modern expressions of the physicality of human existence. Jean de Loisy and Sandra Adam‑Couralet Exhibition curators Jean‑Luc Vilmouth, Cut out, 1980, wire cutters, electric wire, variable dimensions, collection of the FRAC Pays de la Loire, from the exhibition Simples Gestures at La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis, 2014 © Tadzio 55 Know‑how and creativity Sharing new work Supported projects Support for the visual arts Complementing its own art spaces and programme of artists’ residencies, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is a committed patron of the contemporary arts, notably through support for projects and institutions promoting events and exhibitions designed to bring creative artists and their work to the widest possible public. The Foundation was delighted to support the solo exhibition by Korean artist Lee Ufan at Versailles, following Giuseppe Penone in 2013. Born in 1936, Lee Ufan received his artistic training at the crossroads of multiple Asian influences. He is the founder and theorist of Japan’s Mono‑Ha movement. The Versailles exhibition comprised ten installations in stone and steel and encouraged visitors to explore new perspectives on the setting of each piece: the works’ minimalist rigour focused attention on their participation in the surrounding landscape. Conceived as an open‑air dialogue between space, time and infinity, the magisterial installations invited viewers to take a fresh look at the unique spaces created at Versailles by Louis XIV’s landscape gardener, Le Nôtre. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports a variety of initiatives aimed at young contemporary artists. The Foundation is a committed supporter of the Prix Marcel Duchamp, organised by ADIAF, a not‑for‑profit association promoting French art around the world. The internationally‑acclaimed prize is presented annually to a young artist on the contemporary French scene.The 2014 winner, Julien Prévieux, received a financial award and an exhibition to be held at the Centre Pompidou Paris in 2015. The Foundation recognises emerging talents in France and elsewhere, notably China. In the northern French town of Tourcoing, Le Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains trains young artists in all aspects of image‑making and the visual arts, culminating in an annual Panorama of students’ work. In 2014, four students exhibiting at Locus Solus (the studio’s 16th annual show) were selected to receive support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès. In Beijing, the Foundation supported the Yishu 8 China Prize: two emerging Chinese visual artists each receive financial grants and an exhibition at the city’s Yishu 8 Sino‑French cultural centre. Lee Ufan VERSAILLES Palace of Versailles Versailles, France 17 June – 2 November 2014 Support in 2014 Prix Marcel Duchamp Elisabeth Caravella, Howto, film/installation, produced at Le Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains, Tourcoing, 2014 © DR Paris, France Support since 2008 Le Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains Tourcoing, France Support since 2013 Prix Yishu 8 Beijing, China The Palace of Versailles received over 2,125,000 visitors during the time of Lee Ufan’s installation, from 17 June to 2 November 2014. Support since 2013 The Foundation’s H Box video-viewing module has been sited at Le Fresnoy since 2013. 57 Support for the performing arts In addition to its own New Settings programme, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports the performing arts through a variety of external events and institutions actively engaged in commissioning and producing new works for the stage, with a strong emphasis on projects at the crossroads of contemporary artistic disciplines. In spring 2014, Paris’s Théâtre de la Ville joined forces with the Musée de la Danse in Rennes and the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès for the third edition of Danse élargie, a competition that has quickly earned a reputation as a springboard for new, cross‑disciplinary dance performance.Winning productions enjoy widespread visibility via the competition’s three partner institutions. The 2014 winner was German artist Paula Rosolen for her lively piece, Aerobics! In autumn 2014, the Foundation renewed its regular support for Plastique Danse Flore at the Potager du Roi in Versailles, now in its 8th year. Founded by Frédéric Seguette, the cross‑disciplinary festival attracts visual artists, choreographers, landscape designers, performance artists and horticulturalists, together with students at France’s national landscape design school, the École nationale supérieure du paysage de Versailles, for a programme of performance art, theatre, installations and public lectures. Autumn 2014 also saw support from the Foundation for productions by choreographer Jérôme Bel – Jérôme Bel (1995) and Cédric Andrieux (2009) – at several venues in Paris, Aubervilliers and Nanterre, as part of the French capital’s annual Festival d’Automne. Bel’s radical works deconstruct the nature of theatrical presentation (Jérôme Bel) and explore new choreographic constructs based on the performer’s own experience and career (Cédric Andrieux). 2014 marked the 30th anniversary of the Ménagerie de Verre, founded par Marie‑Thérèse Allier: the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès partnered the celebrations, honouring this iconic Paris art space dedicated to the commissioning and presentation of new work at the forefront of contemporary expressive forms. Attentive to the emergence of new choreographic languages, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès continues to partner the Centre national de la danse (CND) under its new director Mathilde Monnier. Unique in the French cultural landscape as a centre for new work, resources and artists’ residencies, the CND is dedicated to the development and promotion of the art of choreography, the presentation of dance works, and the conservation and dissemination of its permanent collections. Paula Rosolen, Aerobics!, winner of Danse Élargie 2014 © Laurent Philippe Danse élargie Ménagerie de Verre Théâtre de la Ville, 3 rd edition Paris, France Paris, France Support in 2014 14 – 15 June 2014 Supported since 2010 Plastique Danse Flore Centre national de la danse Pantin, France Supported since 2009, member of the Cercle CND‑Entreprises Potager du Roi Versailles, France 5 – 6 April 2014 (7th edition, 2nd part), and 19 – 21 September 2014 (8th edition) Supported since 2008 FESTIVAL D’AUTOMNE 2014 Support for performances of Jérôme Bel and Cédric Andrieux Aubervilliers, Paris and Nanterre, France September – November 2014 Supported in 2014 The third edition of Danse élargie attracted over 300 entries from 37 countries. 1,500 spectators attended two days of competition at the Théâtre de la Ville, Paris, for Danse élargie 2014. Twelve teams of artists, including six choreographic projects, entertained 1,095 spectators and visitors at the 8th edition of Plastique Danse Flore in September 2014. The Spring session of the 7th edition, in April 2014, hosted nine teams of artists including six choreographic projects, and attracted 1,005 spectators and visitors. Jérôme Bel’s productions at Paris’s Festival d’Automne drew an audience of 1,550 people over 12 dates. 61 Support for design Complementing its own international design award, the Prix Émile Hermès, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is a committed supporter of selected initiatives, and a leading institution in this vibrant, creative field. The Villa Noailles, Hyères, held its ninth international festival of design in early July, 2014.The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is a regular supporter of the event – Design Parade – a platform for design professionals with a focus on new thinking and innovation, featuring talks, workshops and an international competition for young designers. Laura Couto Rosado won the Grand Prix du Jury in 2014.The event culminates in a series of exhibitions throughout the summer, showcasing new design to the public at large. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès also partners D’Days, a major Paris event exploring tomorrow’s design world around an annual theme (‘Movement’ in 2014). Aimed at design professionals and the public at large, the event features debates and exhibitions at a variety of venues across Paris and the neighbouring town of Pantin. An institutional supporter of D’Days – and in particular the programme of public debates D’Talks – the Foundation was also present ‘on the ground’, with an exhibition of projects shortlisted for the Prix Émile Hermès 2014, at Paris’s Espace Commines. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès continued its support for the Bourse Agora design award and bursary, awarded every two years to a designer under the age of 40.The grant enabled 2013 winner Pierre Charrié to develop his project Surfaces sonores (‘Sound surfaces’) for the design of new forms for audio devices in the home. Last but not least, the Foundation remains a committed supporter of Les Arts Décoratifs. Paris’s major institution for conservation, exhibitions and training in design and the decorative arts, it comprises an acclaimed school and four museums dedicated to preserving design heritage and teaching the designers of tomorrow. Design Parade 9 Villa Noailles Hyères, France 4 – 7 July 2014 Supported since 2008 D’Days Paris and Pantin, France 20 – 25 May 2014 Supported since 2013 Dylan Perrenoud for Laura Couto Rosado, HEAD, Grand Prix du Jury, Design Parade 2014, Villa Noailles, Hyères © DR BOURSE AGORA DESIGN AWARD France Supported since 2008 Les Arts Décoratifs Paris, France Supported since 2008, member of the Club des Partenaires des Arts Décoratifs since 2009 Villa Noailles welcomed over 28,000 visitors for Design Parade 9, including the festival and the exhibitions that continued until September. Contents Know‑how and transmission of skills KNOW‑HOW AND TRANSMISSION OF SKILLS 64 Core issues and overview by Catherine Tsekenis 66 Supporting artisanship 67 ‘Creative breath’ by Patrick Jouin 68 78 The Skills Academy Support for skills transfer and professional training Promoting new trades and artisan careers 82 Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity 83 ‘Creative breath’ by Valérie Boisvert 84 90 Call for projects: ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’ The 2014 biodiversity conference Partnering IDDRI Supporting biodiversity 92 Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 93 ‘Creative breath’ by Valérie Crand 94 Action for training and skills Discovering new trades and careers Initiatives for biodiversity 74 88 89 96 98 Call for projects ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’, FloreS: collecting hawthorn blossom, France © Marie‑Claire/Régis Buffière 63 65 Know‑how and transmission Core issues and overview by Catherine Tsekenis Manual artisan skills continue to give many people around the world the chance to achieve autonomy and self‑determination. Manual trades are often undervalued, yet this disaffection is misguided when we consider the profound human need for self‑fulfilment, and the importance of respecting our environment.The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès explores a number of avenues in response to these issues. In 2014, the Foundation launched its first Skills Academy, as part of a range of activities designed to encourage the transmission of artisan expertise.The Academy is aimed at professionals seeking to develop their skills, engage more profoundly with evolving trades and materials, and explore new innovations.The first edition, focusing on the world of wood, was directed with tremendous energy and rigour by designer Patrick Jouin. The Academy was a public success, too, with open lectures and round‑table discussions featuring eminent speakers and lively debate between the ‘Academicians’. The realities of society today urge us to pay closer‑than‑ever attention to the principles of responsible citizenship, and to work for greater social cohesion. One tried and tested solution involves ensuring that young people find their place in society through access to a trade or profession, providing them with a source of income and personal fulfilment.With this in mind, the Foundation has continued its support for NGOs delivering artisan and artistic training: the Nubian Vault in West Africa, the Cité internationale de la tapisserie et de l’art tissé in Aubusson (France), and REDES in Rio de Janeiro’s Maré favela. Before they can access apprenticeships, young people need enhanced life skills, and the chance to discover trades offering them new ways forward into La Mine: beehives at the CAPC museum of contemporary art in Bordeaux, France © CAPC – Frédéric Duval work and society. Supporting this, the Foundation works with organisations such as Sport dans la ville in Lyon, or Gol de Letra in Brazil.We choose a variety of projects, large and small, based on our recognition that rigorous, precise, tailored methodologies are central to their success. The same rigour applies to our selection of scientific ‘action and research’ programmes supported through our annual call for projects in the field of biodiversity and local knowledge. In 2014, the three teams selected in 2013 carried out work in France (FloreS), Colombia (RESEMINA) and Brazil (Agriculture in the Rio Negro). Each project experiments with new ways to help communities assert their rights and promote practices rooted in traditional knowledge while at the same time adapting their activities to take account of environmental issues. Throughout 2014, the Foundation’s programme H3 (Heart – Head – Hand) invited Hermès staff to champion their favourite voluntary organisations in the spheres of artisanship, cultural education and environmental protection. Nineteen projects active in these areas were selected for the Foundation’s support over a two‑year period. The projects supported by the Foundation pursue very diverse ends, yet all are united in one thing: their existence depends on the creative breath and energy of the men and women committed to furthering and sharing their work. Know‑how and transmission of skills Supporting artisanship Supporting artisanship ‘Creative breath’, by Patrick Jouin PARTNERS FOR PROGRESS We are extremely fortunate here in France: we have a unique heritage of artisan trades, linked to often ancestral skills and know‑how. Supporting artisanship means accompanying established professionals as they deepen their knowledge, to enrich their individual practice. It means helping young people to find often unexpected paths into new careers, too. And ensuring artisan skills are handed down and safeguarded for the future. Through our own programme – the Skills Academy – and our support for a wide range of partner organisations and initiatives, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is committed to working But knowing that we have this extraordinarily rich legacy is not enough – we must carry it forward into the future, too. This is why the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès founded its Skills Academy: the programme aims not only to acknowledge this exceptional heritage, but to develop it for the next generation, contributing to progress and innovation in the artisan professions by exploring new, unimagined perspectives. This open outlook, this incitement to dialogue is only made possible through shared encounters: the teaching of skilled gestures and practices, the challenging of those same gestures and practices, and confronting the possibilities offered by technology and modern techniques. The latter is, of course, central to the effort to adapt traditional skills of every kind to our current and future needs. with future and established artisans at every stage in their careers, as they discover, build and develop rewarding professional lives. With this in mind, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès has created an environment where Academicians can exchange their individual perspectives, take a helicopter view of their field and learn with a truly open mind. The Academy gives participants an unrivalled opportunity to step aside from everyday practice, stand back, enhance their own knowledge, discover new skills, and benefit from the experience and know‑how of others. Safeguarding our heritage means accepting that there will be challenges, breathing new life into heritage skills, acknowledging and embracing progress so that we can keep inventing, now and into the future. Patrick Jouin Designer, programme director, Skills Academy 2014 67 Know‑how and transmission of skills Support for artisanship Skills Academy The Skills Academy Academicians In 2014 the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès launched the Skills Academy, a new programme promoting knowledge‑sharing and innovation for artisans and creative designers working with traditional materials and skills. Each Academy gathers artisans, designers and engineers of all ages to explore a central theme.The programme focuses on the transmission of expertise across disciplines, for collective intelligence in the service of innovation, creativity and sustainability. Directed by a guest designer, the Academy’s programme includes a series of monthly lectures and panels open to the public, followed by masterclasses for participating Academicians only.The year ends with a workshop – an experimental laboratory enabling artisans, designers and engineers to implement their new knowledge in practice. 1st edition ‘Xylomania! Skills and expertise in the world of wood’ Programme director: Patrick Jouin, guest designer 10 artisans 6 designers 5 engineers Ludovic Avenel Sébastien Cordoleani Victor Laurent Pierre‑Éloi Bris Johanna Hartzheim Zoé Lombard Jean‑Brieuc Chevalier Krzysztof Lukasik Pascal Triboulot Hugo Delavelle Fanette Pesch François‑Xavier Vendeville Pauline Faugère Luther Quenum Pierre Wozny Richard Fournier Jean‑Baptiste Sibertin‑Blanc Paul Hoffmann Fanny‑Laure Lepez Ghillebaert Dominique Roger Joseph Vallon The first Skills Academy was devoted to wood, that most essential, universal resource, exploited and worked by mankind from our earliest beginnings.The programme examined trades and practices in the world of wood, with a focus on know‑how, innovation and sustainability. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès invited French designer Patrick Jouin to devise a programme building month by month to explore every facet of the medium and its related industries, culminating in the Academicians’ summer workshop. Monthly morning sessions (open to the public), and subsequent events reserved for Academicians only, addressed the history and traditions of wood‑working, contemporary techniques, the status of wood in art, its experimental, innovative applications, and its strategic potential today as an environmentally sustainable resource. Steering committee Olivier Fournier Managing director, Pôle artisanal Hermès maroquinier sellier Chantal Granier Associate artistic director, Hermès maison, Saint‑Louis, Puiforcat Hugues Jacquet Sociologist, external project manager, Skills Academy Clémence Miralles‑Fraysse Project manager, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Pascale Mussard Artistic director, ‘petit h’ Anne‑Catherine Trépagne Projects director, Hermès International Catherine Tsekenis Director, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Patrick Jouin, programme director for the Skills Academy 2014 © Tadzio 69 Know‑how and transmission of skills Support for artisanship Skills Academy Morning sessions The first Skills Academy offered a carefully structured programme of monthly morning sessions promoting a deeper awareness of issues at the heart of tradition and innovation in the world of wood. Open to the public, the morning lectures and round‑table discussions featured contributions from experts in a variety of sectors and disciplines – academics, designers, researchers, artists, engineers, students, publishers and more – sharing their knowledge and expertise with an audience of fellow professionals and aficionados. The opening session was devoted to the functions and applications of wood today – in contemporary design, the artisan sector and industry – and its symbolic importance in our history, culture and language (with historian Michel Pastoureau and linguist Henriette Walter, who presented ‘A wood‑lovers’ lexicon’).The second public session explored wood‑working tools and manual skills, with a discussion of diploma works submitted in 2012 by applied arts students in a variety of specialist artisan disciplines, at Paris’s École Boulle. The session subsequently explored developments in production processes, and their capacity to extend the inherent formal limitations of wood as a raw material. Economics professor Stefano Micelli opened the third session with an exploration of the relationship between designer and artisan, followed by a discussion of how technical developments may influence the use of wood in design, and the emergence of a new aesthetic. Marc Van Peteghem looked at the uses, status quo and future of wood in naval architecture. The fourth morning session considered R&D initiatives and experimental studies of the wood‑working techniques of tomorrow, including a presentation by Nicolas Henchoz on the astonishing properties of densified wood. As a logical extension of this, the fifth session examined wood as a sustainable resource. Joël Boulier surveyed the cartography of the world’s forests, and Jean‑François Dhôte addressed the impact of climate change on wood as a renewable raw material. Arnaud Godevin defined the precise uses of forest resources today, and Philippe Schiesser explored eco‑design and the circular economy in the context of our renewed, intensified use of wood. The sixth and final morning session explored the ‘five senses’ of wood, and their specific uses, beginning with Olivier Roellinger and Jean‑Claude Ellena in conversation, exploring taste and aroma.The audience was treated to a presentation on the sound of wood, with Stéphane Vaiedelich and instrument‑maker Miguel Henry, and finally, to the immersive experience of wood installations by artist duo The Chapuisat Brothers. Fine cuisine, fragrance, music and the visual arts illustrated the stunning palette of possibilities offered by this exceptional material. Skills Academy: visiting Établissements Marotte in Saint‑Ouen, 8 February 2014 © Tadzio Les Fondam le bois dans entaux : le design et l’artisanat, les sc de l’ingénieuriences I Les Outils : et les Gestes nels dition ou des tils tra mériques aux outils nu 11 h « LA SYMBOL IQUE DU BOI S ET DES MÉT IERS L’ÉPOQUE MÉD DU BOIS À IÉVALE » Michel Pastour eau, docteur en histo ire, médiéviste, directeur d’étude s à l’École prat ique des hautes étud es (Sorbonne) 12 h « UN PETIT LEX IQUE AMOUREUX DU BOIS » Henriette Wal ter, docteur ès lettres, docteur en lingu istique III 9h 9 h 30 « LE BOIS : DES IGN, ARTISA NAT ET INDUSTRIE » Dialogue entr e Patrick Jou in et Raymond Guidot, ingénieur, histo rien et théoricie n du design, auteur de nombreux ouvrages sur le design, les techniques et les matériaux s 2014 Le Lieu du Des ign, grande salle (rezde-chaussée 74, rue du Faub gauche) ourg Saint-An toine, Paris 12e II ACCUEIL ET INTRODUCT ION Catherine Tse kenis, directrice de la Fondatio n d’entreprise Hermès Patrick Jouin, desi directeur pédago gner invité et gique de l’Aca démie 9h VAUX OUR DES TRA DIALOGUE AUT DES DIPLÔMÉS ES DE FIN D’ÉTUD DES A (DIPLÔME DM DU 2 201 OLE RT) DE L’ÉC MÉTIERS D’A LE RONDE) BOULLE (TAB Noirot : Emmanuelle Modérateurs d’art urs esse prof et Éric Dubois, appliqué 11 h 15 : , BOIS TABLÉ « BOIS TOURNÉ S AU TRADITIONNEL DES OUTILS EMENT N RENOUVELL SERVICE D’U » DE LA FORME el, tourneur Grégory Bod designer vier Balléry, François-Xa ition la maison d’éd de rs cteu Dire lac» au feu le «Y’a pas « UN PANORA MA DU CHANGEMEN T» Modérateur : Stefano Micelli, professeur asso cié d’économie à l’université Ca’F oscari de Veni se, auteur de Futu ro artigiano (Marsilio, 2011) Riccardo Blum er, designer et Renato Stau ffacher des éditi ons Alias Les étapes de conception et de fabrication de l’assise « Leggera » Erwan Bouroul lec, designer Les étapes de conception et de fabrication de l’assise «Osso», de la chaise «Ste elwood» et de la collection «Co penhague» 11 h 15 « LE BOIS ET LE DESIGNER : COMMENT LES ÉVOLUTION S TECHNIQUE S CONTRIBUE NTELLES À L’ÉM ERGENCE D’UNE ESTHÉT IQUE NOUVEL LE ? » Dialogue entr e Patrick Jou in et Constance Rub ini, historienn e d’art, spécialiste du design, directrice du musée des Arts décoratifs de Bordeaux 12 h « L’USAGE DU BOIS DANS L’ARCHITEC TURE NAVALE : ÉTAT DES LIEU X, ÉVOLUTION PERSPECTIVES ET » Marc Van Pete ghem, architect e naval Skills Academy: morning session, Thinking about tomorrow: New developments in wood and wood‑working techniques, auditorium of the École du Louvre, Paris, 5 April 2014 © Tadzio Skills Academy: morning sessions © Undo Redo V Samedi 8 mar ier 2014 Samedi 8 févr national Conservatoire iers, des arts et mét Abbé Grégoire e amphithéâtre rtin, Paris 3 t-Ma 292, rue Sain ée) mus le (entrée par 9h Samedi 17 mai 2014 Théâtre des Bou ffes du Nord 37 bis, bouleva rd de la Chapelle , Paris 10e Matière et Te chniques 1 La nouvelle mo dernité du bois l’évolution ac: tuelle des techniqu es et du matériau Samedi 11 janv ier 2014 Conservatoire national des arts et mét iers, amphithéâtre Abbé Grégoire 292, rue Sain t-Martin, Paris e 3 (entrée par le musée) Réfléchir la co ntr pour un usagainte : durable du bo e is Programme des matinales publiques inscriptions : [email protected] sences : Sensuelles ess sens ce que no du bois nous disent Samedi 14 juin chniques 2 Matière et Te in ? Et dema ues niq ch Te is et matériau bo en devenir l 2014 Samedi 5 avri Auditorium Louvre de l’école du er ousel, Paris 1 place du Carr IV 9 h 30 « LA RESSOU RCE MATÉRIAU REN EN BOIS : UN OUVELABLE MAIS DANS QUELLE S LIMITES ? » Modérateur : Hugues Jacque t, sociologue, mas ter « Développem durable et resp ent onsabilité des organisations », Paris-Dauph ine Joël Boulier, docteur en géo graphie – Paris I, coauteur avec Laurent Simon de l’Atlas de la forêt (Autrement, Paris, 2009) Jean-François Dhôte, chef du départemen t Recherche et Développement, Office national des forêts, spécialist e des conséqu ences du changement climatique sur le couvert forestier français Arnaud Godevin , ingénieur, direc de l’ESB Nan teur tes - École supé rieure du bois 11 h 15 9 h 30 « LE BOIS : ECONOMIE CIRCULAIRE ET ÉCO-CONCE PTION » Philippe Sch iesser, ingénieu r en éco-conception « LE BOIS : OVATION » R & D ET INN Patrick Jouin Modérateur : Lengefeld, nschmit von – Andreas Klei n & Recherches vatio directeur Inno Forêt technologique FCBA (Institut ction stru - con Cellulose Bois Ameublement) ingénieur, d, architecte, Yves Weinan – Institut du Bois directeur IBOIS de nique fédérale tech poly le Éco L) (EPF Lausanne du EPFL choz, directeur Nicolas Hen de nique fédérale le (École polytech L (École cantona Lausanne) & ECA ) LAB d’art de Lausanne 2014 Petit Palais Auditorium du s 8e Churchill, Pari avenue Winston VI 9 h 30 L’ON GOÛTE… « LE BOIS QUE SENT » ET QUE L’ON er, chef étoilé, Olivier Roelling épices spécialiste des ur Ellena, parfume Jean-Claude 11 h E DU BOIS » « À L’ÉCOUT delich, directeur Stéphane Vaie et de de recherche ire rato labo du ique musée de la Mus restauration du accompagné ique mus Cité de la icien(ne) mus er (e) luthi d’un ry, gné Hen mpa uel acco de Mig 11 h 45 FORÊT : BOIS ET LA » « L’ARBRE, LE D’UN ARTISTE POINTS DE VUE at, artiste plasticien té puis invi n y Cha gorticie Gréplas Un 12 h 30 N CONCLUSIO kenis, directrice Catherine Tse Hermès n d’entreprise de la Fondatio et designer invité Patrick Jouin, démie gique de l’Aca directeur pédago 71 Know‑how and transmission of skills Support for artisanship Skills Academy The workshop Held in August, the eight‑day workshop at the École supérieure du bois de Nantes was led by guest designer and Academy programme director Patrick Jouin. Academicians were invited to collaborate on the design and furnishings of a decision‑making centre. Acknowledging the potential of such centres to influence the outcomes of processes of arbitration, their furnishings and fittings were identified as a factor of increasing and strategic importance for private businesses and public institutions alike. Responding to the brief, the Academicians produced full‑size and scale models for a self‑contained pavilion designed to be easily dismantled and transported, together with internal fittings including a modular conference table seating up to 30 people, a lectern, and outdoor seating for break‑out conversations. The designs showcased the technical and aesthetic properties of wood, drawing on each participant’s expertise and new knowledge acquired during the Academy’s first semester. Conceived as a collective, experimental forum, the workshop focused on the practical implementation of contemporary innovations impacting the inherent properties of the ancestral medium of wood. Divided into five groups, each comprising artisans, designers and engineers, the Academicians produced projects designed to showcase the medium of wood, and to convey a sense of efficiency, solemnity, sobriety and modernity, while at the same time respecting the confidentiality of the decision‑making process and facilitating the on‑site communication of its outcomes. Skills Academy: guided visit in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 12 January 2014 © Tadzio Around 200 people attended each morning session, in addition to the participating Academicians. Masterclasses – for Academicians only Following each morning session, the Academicians took part in talks and visits designed to enhance and extend the insights gained during the public lectures and discussions. The first masterclass visited the Établissements Georges, artisan suppliers of rare and fine woods cut using techniques dating back to the 19th century, and hence ideal for historic restoration projects. The visit was complemented by a day in the Palace and Forest of Fontainebleau, embracing wood from its raw to most finished state: presentations of heritage pieces and exceptional restoration projects by curators at the palace were followed by a guided tour of the forest with forester‑engineers from France’s Office national des forêts, offering an insight into the business and practices of managed commercial forestry. The Academicians subsequently visited two more businesses – Établissements Marotte for an insight into the evolution of tools and techniques for slicing and veneering, and Établissements Dumoulin, specialists in thermo‑treatment processes designed to enhance the natural properties of wood. Deepening their understanding of current innovations, the Academicians visited the exhibition Sous pression, le bois densifié (‘Under pressure: densified wood’) at the Arts Décoratifs in Paris, exploring the applications of this new technology in objects developed by EPFL + ECAL Lab in Lausanne. The penultimate workshop took the Academicians to the Halle Pajol in Paris’s 18th arrondissement, remodelled by architect Françoise‑Hélène Jourda, who gave a presentation on the ecological and structural properties of wood for construction and interior architecture alike. Beyond the formal Academy programme, participants collaborated on a variety of projects across their respective disciplines. Proceedings of the first Skills Academy will be co‑published in 2015 by Actes Sud and the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès. Applications from prospective Academicians for the programme’s second edition, ‘Grounded!’ (exploring clay and ceramics), were processed and selected throughout 2014. The final masterclass, led by chef Olivier Roellinger, took the form of a series of ‘tastings’ of the many species of wood encountered throughout the year. Skills Academy: workshop at the École supérieure du bois, Nantes, August 2014 © Tadzio Patrick Jouin and the Academicians at the final workshop, August 2014 © Tadzio 73 Know‑how and transmission of skills Supporting artisanship Support for skills transfer and professional training Support for skills transfer and professional training Ancestral skills have a vital role to play in modern society, perpetuating professional heritage as part of the contemporary economy.With this in mind, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports a range of organisations and initiatives committed to the preservation and development of traditional artisan know‑how. The Foundation supports a three‑year training programme for a loom‑setting instructor at the Aubusson textile workshops, ensuring that the traditional tapestry‑weaving skills first developed in the region almost six hundred years ago are handed down to future generations. In addition to preserving this ancestral skill, the instructor contributes to conservation and curatorial work at Aubusson’s international textile cluster, the Cité internationale de la tapisserie et de l’art tissé, giving masterclasses and hosting residential courses for qualified professionals. The Foundation’s support for the not‑for‑profit association The Nubian Vault reflects the same commitment to preserve and promote traditional skills – in this case clay architecture using the Nubian vault technique in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. It has provided robust, sustainable, economical housing for some 17,000 people to date.The association has launched its own academy, delivering intensive, short training courses for artisans committed to training others in turn. Skills transfer is the core aim of the not‑for‑profit association La Kora-PRD in Senegal (a partner of the international organisation Frères des Hommes), providing two‑year courses in joinery for young people outside mainstream education.The Foundation is a committed supporter of the programme, raising the profile of quality artisan skills through client recognition and appreciation and delivering comprehensive professional training, from literacy to design and the mastery of essential tools. Lastly, in Algeria the Foundation supports Touiza Solidarité, a not‑for‑profit organisation working to preserve traditional craft skills in the Kabylie region.The programme promotes inter‑generational training for young craftspeople seeking to set up their own artisan businesses. In Georgia, the not‑for‑profit association Caritas delivers professional training to young people from underprivileged backgrounds, focusing on the transmission of traditional icon‑making skills, across generations. In the Greek village of Soufli – once an important centre for European silk‑making – the same approach underpins the regeneration of this traditional industry, handing down ancestral skills such as cocoon reeling, weaving and more. Steered by the not‑for‑profit association La Soie des Hellènes, the project supports the re‑launch of this important artisan sector for the contemporary market. ll four projects highlight the importance of preserving A and developing ancestral skills and the artisan professions, as key vectors for economic development. Cité internationale de la tapisserie et de l’art tissé Caritas Georgia Tbilisi, Georgia Supported since 2011 Aubusson and Felletin, France Supported since 2012 La Voûte Nubienne West Africa Supported since 2008 La Soie des Hellènes Cité internationale de la tapisserie: Nadia Petkovic weaves a contemporary verdure tapestry by Quentin Vaulot and Goliath Dyèvre, Aubusson, France © Cité internationale de la tapisserie, Aubusson LA KORA-PRD AND FRÈRES DES HOMMES Soufli, Greece Supported since 2014 In Tbilisi, 114 participants have graduated from the Caritas Georgia Iconography department over the past four years. 35 have gone on to further studies at university institutes or professional training programmes. 25 students have found employment with artisan workshops or specialist boutiques. Touba and Kolda, Senegal Supported since 2011 120,000 silkworms were reared in Soufli in September 2014, for the first phase of the re‑launch of silk production initiated by La Soie des Hellènes. Touiza Solidarité Algeria Supported since 2014 Five new loom‑setting workshops were opened at Aubusson and Felletin in 2014. The Nubian Vault extended its reach to two new countries – Benin and Ghana – in 2014. The association received the 2014 Momentum for Change award, presented by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the COP 20 climate change conference in Lima, Peru. In Senegal, Frères des Hommes enabled 75 apprentices to perfect their arithmetic, geometry and French language skills; 30 more received training in essential joinery skills. Touiza Solidarité: works by Mme Ouardia (potter) and Amar Lounas (architect and designer) at Archi’terre, the international festival for earth architecture in Tlemcen, Algeria © Amar Lounas In 2014, Touiza Solidarité completed administrative preparations for the project launch in 2015. Frères des Hommes: a training collective in Touba, Senegal © Frères des Hommes 75 Know‑how and transmission of skills Supporting artisanship Support for skills transfer and professional training In Rio de Janeiro, en collaboration with the not‑for‑profit association REDES, the Escola Livre de Dança da Maré (ELDM) has established itself as a forum for the teaching of choreographic skills, with choreographer Lia Rodrigues and her company.Young people from the Maré favela receive professional dance training on the programme, which was originally designed for 15 students, but welcomed 19 participants aged 17 to 26 in 2014. In France, the Fondation Royaumont hosts a variety of projects, including the Programme Recherche et Composition Chorégraphiques (PRCC), a residential course in experimental choreography and choreographic composition, under director Hervé Robbe. Robbe is also the founder of Prototype, an annual programme of professional training for ten choreographers.Working with a diverse line‑up of guest teachers and speakers, participants on the 2013‑14 programme explored the theme of ‘potential choreographic spaces’; the 2014‑15 session will focus on ‘the vocal presence in the choreographic score’. Fondation Royaumont (Prototype programme) In 2014, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supported a Franco‑Japanese initiative centred on traditional paper‑making skills, including an international conference on industrial paper manufacturing, held in France. At the Musée des arts et métiers, the Foundation financed the restoration of a length of printed silk from the Haussmann frères factory. As a continuing member of the Cercle de l’IFM (patrons of the Institut français de la mode), the Foundation contributed to support for post‑graduate bursaries and research projects. Asnières‑sur‑Oise, France Paper‑making skills Supported since 2008 France/Japan Supported since 2011 REDES – Escola Livre de Dança da Maré Musée des arts et métiers Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Supported since 2011 Fondation Royaumont: workshop with Thomas Hauert and choreographers on the Prototype 1 course, France, 2014 © Laurent Paillier Paris, France Supported since 2011 Cercle de l’Institut français de la mode Paris, France Supported since 2010 In 2014, four young trainees from the Escola Livre de Dança da Maré were invited to a residency in La Rochelle (western France) as part of an international exchange. In December 2014, a new work – Exercice M, mouvement et de maré – was performed at the École municipale artistique in Vitry‑sur‑Seine. In 2014, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès – a long‑time supporter of the Fondation Royaumont – joined celebrations for its golden jubilee, including support for a day of dance on 6 September, entitled Songe chorégraphique à Royaumont. REDES, Escola Livre de Dança da Maré: class with Jonathan Pranlas‑Descours and Christophe Béranger (Sine Qua Non Art company), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil © Elisangela Leite 77 Know‑how and transmission Promoting new trades and artisan careers The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports organisations dedicated to raising awareness of specific professions and trades among a variety of audiences, including young people from underprivileged or unstable backgrounds, disengaged from mainstream education, or experiencing social or cultural exclusion. Our supported projects encourage their young participants to discover new trades and careers to which they may otherwise have had no access. Union Rempart gives volunteers from Paris and its suburbs, aged 18 to 25, the chance to discover new skills and trades by contributing to restoration projects at heritage sites across the whole Ile‑de‑France region. Led by professional artisans, the young volunteers discover traditional craft techniques, and take part in group projects promoting social and cultural exchange and the acquisition of new skills. Create! at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London is another project aimed at encouraging young people to take a proactive approach to discovering new trades and careers.Targeting a young audience aged 16 to 24, the programme encourages participants to engage actively with the museum’s work, and to discover a variety of careers in the creative industries (design, graphics, textiles, photography, fashion). Participation is wholly voluntary; individuals are free to attend classes and workshops in the discipline of their choice. Supporting artisanship Promoting new trades and artisan careers In Brazil, the Gol de Letra Foundation encourages young people from underprivileged neighbourhoods to discover new skills designed to develop their creativity and help them engage more effectively with society as a whole, forging social networks as part of the drive to pacify troubled communities. Young people aged 14 to 20 attend workshops combining cultural and communication skills, in preparation for the world of work. In the Greater Lyon region, in central eastern France, the not‑for‑profit association Sport dans la Ville steers two projects designed to combat social exclusion among young people aged 14 to 20. ‘Job dans la Ville’ encourages young people to discover new skills and careers through simulated interviews and support from mentors in business and industry. ‘L dans la Ville’ enables girls aged 11 and up to take part in sporting and cultural activities, and offers them help and advice as they explore future careers. Union Rempart: discovering stone cutting, traditional masonry and joinery in the village of Tusson, France, June 2014 © Rempart Gol de Letra Foundation Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil Supported since 2009 Sport dans la Ville Greater Lyon, France Supported since 2011 Victoria & Albert Museum: Create! programme workshop, London, UK © Victoria & Albert Museum Gol de Letra Foundation: graffiti art workshop, São Paulo, Brazil © Gol de Letra Union Rempart France Supported since 2012 In 2014, Union Rempart extended its reach to five new regions, almost doubling the number of young people involved in restoration work at the scheme’s heritage sites, from 44 to 81. In 2014, 12 volunteers joined CreateVoice, a project to design activities for young visitors to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. The Gol de Letra Foundation project attracted a record 224 participants in 2014 (119 girls and 105 boys). Create! at the Victoria & Albert Museum In 2014, 650 girls took part in activities with the programme ‘L dans la Ville’ (up from 550 in 2013). ‘Job dans la Ville’ helped 600 young people in 2014, up from 450 in 2013. London, United Kingdom Supported since 2013 Sport dans la Ville: the Rhône‑Alpes class of 2014‑2015 (‘Job dans la Ville’) with programme partners and mentors, France © Sport dans la ville 79 Know‑how and transmission Supporting artisanship Promoting new trades and artisan careers Museum of Arts and Design New York, United States Supported since 2009 Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales Seine‑Saint‑Denis, France Supported since 2010 Sèvres - Cité de la céramique Paris, France Supported since 2008, founder member of the Cercle des mécènes de Sèvres - Cité de la céramique (the Circle of Patrons at the Sèvres porcelain factory). Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales de Seine‑Saint‑Denis: Anti qui t’es, Sush Tenin, France, 2014 © DR In 2014, support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès enabled activity leaders on the Arts Reach programme at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) to forge closer links with the city’s education department, promoting access to art and artisan skills for young people experiencing difficulties in mainstream education.The project enables pupils to take part in workshops, discover hidden talents and develop their self‑esteem through new, creative activities. In the north of Paris, Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales de Seine‑Saint‑Denis takes a similar approach, encouraging young people to discover the world of contemporary dance. Complementing its annual programme of performances and events, the festival organises numerous outreach activities for schools: pupils are introduced to the world of contemporary dance and attend workshops exploring life skills and interpersonal relationships. This leads to collective, creative projects designed to help each participant discover new potential and fulfilment. In 2014, the Foundation also supported Tara (India), AROP and the not‑for‑profit association La Source (France). In 2014, the Museum of Arts and Design’s Arts Reach programme was extended from 10 to 13 centres across New York City, from Manhattan to the Bronx, reaching 2,200 young participants. The City’s Department of Education recognises the impact and value of the programme, working with young people from severely underprivileged backgrounds. The ‘Portrait, portrait de groupe’ project (part of the Rencontres chorégraphiques internationales de Seine‑Saint‑Denis) reached 660 school pupils aged 11 to 18, working alongside students at the Conservatoire de Montreuil. Seven classes (162 pupils) took part in the project Les Petits Dégourdis de Sèvres, including one class of children aged 11, five classes aged 7 to 9 and one class for handicapped children. In the Hauts‑de‑Seine, near Paris, Les Petits Dégourdis de Sèvres runs ceramics workshops for children from schools across the department, including participants with special needs. Led by designer Christian Biecher, the 2013‑14 programme explored the theme of Art Deco. The 2014‑15 programme, led by photographer Sophie Zénon, explores the theme of artisan gestures and trades in the applied arts. Pupils are encouraged to observe and analyse traditional ceramics skills before producing their own work, culminating in a group exhibition. Sèvres - Cité de la céramique: school groups on the programme Les Petits Dégourdis de Sèvres, France, 2014 © Sèvres - Cité de la céramique 81 Know‑how and transmission Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès recognises the need to safeguard our planet’s ecological balance for future generations. To this end, we support a number of projects dedicated to the preservation of biodiversity. The Foundation’s action for biodiversity takes a variety of forms. In partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations in Paris (IDDRI), we intervene upstream in the scientific action and research process, with an international call for projects and an annual conference focusing on biodiversity research. Paralleling our two major programmes, we support action by projects tackling the erosion of biodiversity at the local level, implementing rigorous practices to ensure Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity ‘Creative breath’, by Valérie Boisvert The biodiversity of our wild or farmed flora and fauna, and their resulting products, is closely linked to the diversity of cultures, identities, specific local knowledge and expertise around the world. Down the generations, plants have been selected as foodstuffs for their flavour or texture. The continuing popularity of traditional, plant‑based medicinal and cosmetic treatments supports the preservation of natural diversity in plants and animals alike. The diversity of our natural and cultural heritage at the local level is a force for resistance in the face of globalisation and the creeping homogenisation of our different ways of life. Important areas of empirical and scientific knowledge – the gestures and knowledge connected to agriculture, wild plant gathering and livestock rearing – are intimately connected with biodiversity. They are both inspired by it and play a role in its preservation. Harnessing this knowledge is an ideal way to promote the protection of biodiversity and, beyond this, to encourage ‘difference’ and variety in our relationship to the natural world. While experts announce the coming of the sixth wave of extinctions since the beginning of life on Earth, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès works on its own scale, supporting and breathing life into projects that highlight the importance and subtlety of the links between local knowledge and biodiversity. their natural environment is respected. Conscious of the importance of biodiversity as a factor for environmental sustainability, we take steps to communicate these measures in the context of a wider commitment to achieve maximum public awareness of this vital issue. valérie boisvert The Foundation harnesses expertise at all levels – from researchers, artisans, agriculturalists and innovators – to fight the growing threat to ecosystems across our planet. Economist, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), France Professor at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability, Geoscience and Environment faculty at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland Member of the selection committee for the call for projects on ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’ supported by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 83 Know‑how and transmission of skills Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity Call for projects Call for projects: ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’ 2014 Winners Adaptation strategies and heterogeneity of local knowledge faced with standardisation processes Launched in 2013 in partnership with IDDRI, the annual call for scientific action and research projects is part of the Foundation’s commitment to highlight the importance of local knowledge – already recognised for its intangible heritage status – as a vital factor in supporting biodiversity. The aim is not necessarily to preserve the natural world intact from human activity, but rather to safeguard our planet’s environmental balance by preserving, developing and communicating the traditional knowledge beyond the sphere of its local custodians, who are themselves fully aware of its importance. Selection committee In this context, the second call for projects, under the title Adaptation strategies and heterogeneity of local knowledge faced with standardisation processes, aims to analyse the capacity of local actors to react and innovate in the face of increasing standardisation, and the constraints and norms imposed by the global economic framework.Three teams in France, Brazil and Colombia were selected to work with a variety of communities (agriculturalists and wild plant gatherers), each the active custodian of specific know‑how in contexts of distinctive biodiversity; and each confronted with the instigation of new norms likely to endanger their traditions and expertise, and ultimately their identity. The three research teams received financial grants over a two‑year period (2014 to 2015), in support of their work with local players committed to the preservation and amelioration of traditional practices, while at the same time recognising their invaluable cultural heritage status. RESEMINA Swissaid Colombia Location: Colombia Duration: 24 months Aims: to reinforce the network of local and native seed banks as an alternative resource, safeguarding communities, local knowledge, biodiversity and food security in rural Colombia. Following the suspension of a project to regulate the certification of seed varieties in Colombia, rural farming communities are seeking new negotiating terms with the national government, in opposition to lobbying from multinational seed producers selling genetically modified products. Communities are anxious to prevent the standardisation of agriculture, and to encourage decision‑makers to take account of their specific contexts and needs. Local farmers have developed knowledge adapted to the biodiversity Economist at the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), France Hélène Ilbert Researcher and teacher at the Institut agronomique méditerranéen de Montpellier (IAMM), France Lecturer in Social Anthropology, Institut des régions chaudes, Montpellier SupAgro, France Bernard Roussel Ethnobotanist and professor at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France Anne‑Catherine Trépagne Director of projects, Hermès International The second call for projects drew submissions from leading players in the field: NGOs, think tanks, university research teams and specialist not‑for‑profit organisations. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès received 95 application letters. A third of the projects focused on Africa, fourteen on south Asia, thirteen on South America and ten on Europe, while seven were on an international scale. The rest featured projects in other areas. The programme’s second call for projects confirmed its recognition throughout the international scientific community. The RESEMINA project seeks to preserve this agricultural biodiversity by supporting rural communities and seed custodians. Fifteen ‘seed houses’ will be established, where producers can work with scientific teams to preserve and classify their seeds. This approach aims to enshrine the recognition of local knowledge at the heart of the project, with expert technical support from the scientific teams, who will work to establish a protocol for the multiplication, preservation and dissemination of fine quality seeds, backed by guarantee. In the long term, safeguarding traditional knowledge will not only contribute to the amelioration of local expertise, but will inform and enrich the national debate prior to the implementation of a certificate of special status for locally sourced, farm‑produced seeds. At the end of the programme’s first year, support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès enabled the three teams to embark on their respective projects, with local communities. Valérie Boisvert Pascale Maizi of their surrounding environment: they have cultivated, selected, protected and multiplied their seed varieties. They know the particular properties of each plant species, and are able to draw on a wide range of seeds as an alternative to mainstream agriculture, giving local farmers the ability to adapt as effectively as possible to local conditions. Call for projects ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’, RESEMINA project in Colombia: drying seeds on the Cañamomo Lomaprieta reserve, Colombia © Mauricio García. Campaña Semillas de Identidad photographic collection, SWISSAID 85 Know‑how and transmission of skills FloreS Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity Call for projects Agriculture in the Rio Negro expertise and knowledge, to counter the threat from unregulated gatherers and to protect local biodiversity from the dangers of over‑harvesting. Université de Lausanne – Institut de géographie et durabilité, Switzerland Location: France Duration: 24 months Aims: to raise awareness of the biodiversity of wild flora in mainland France and to draw up a code of best practice based on the knowledge and skills of professional wild plant collectors. In France, the FloreS project contributes to the recognition of an activity rooted in ancestral skills and know‑how, namely the harvesting of wild plants by professional gatherers working in harmony with the seasons.Wild plant gatherers are sophisticated connoisseurs of France’s rural biodiversity and attentive stewards of their respective ‘stations’ (the sites where the sought‑after flowers and buds are collected). Today, their activity is faced with a growing demand for wild plants from producers on an often industrial scale – makers of cosmetics, infusions and, of course, phytopharmaceuticals – as consumers turn increasingly from petrochemical to natural products.With their profession poised to develop as never before, it is vital that traditional gatherers legitimise their practice, FloreS aims to draw up a national charter based on the skills and standards upheld by professional gatherers, and to compile a repertory of their knowledge and expertise as the basis for a code of best practice in relation to specific resources, territories and industries.The project also contributes to scientific debate on the preservation of biodiversity. The Foundation supports FloreS through the organisation of four workshops designed to encourage professionals to work together to compile the repertory of plant‑gathering practices. By establishing a professional federation, gatherers hope to raise awareness of the importance of responsible harvesting among industry players and consumers alike, so that the commercial rush to exploit natural, wild ingredients will not prove harmful to wild plants and their habitats. Enhanced recognition and regulation of the growers’ professional practice will promote a sustainable approach to wild plant collecting now and into the future. Call for projects ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’, FloreS: high summer on the Causse Méjean in Lozère, collecting wild lavender flowers, France © Alain Lagrave UMR 208, PALOC Local heritage/IRD, France Location: north‑west Brazil Duration: 24 months Aims: to establish a partnership with Amerindian populations to promote local knowledge and indigenous products in support of agricultural diversity in the Brazilian Amazon. The agricultural systems of the Rio Negro were given Intangible Heritage status in Brazil in 2010: safeguarding this knowledge, and the extraordinary diversity of cultivated plants with which it is associated, has become a national issue.The project aims to support traditional forms of production in the face of increasing standardisation in agriculture, driven by the need to supply growing demand in Brazil’s cities. The scientific project teams wish to preserve these diverse food resources – and their associated specialist know‑how – by helping local populations to reach a wider market without sacrificing their rich variety of output. The project aims to boost demand by promoting indigenous produce in school refectories and neighbouring market towns. Action to promote the Rio Negro’s rich variety of indigenous produce is part of a wider project steered by Brazil’s National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, encompassing a variety of other schemes. There are plans for publications, a poster campaign and an exhibition at the Amazon Natural History Museum in Manaus. Cultural heritage initiatives are reaching out across sectors in support of the Rio Negro project, which is based on the dissemination of knowledge, techniques and plants. Call for projects ‘Biodiversity and local knowledge’, Agriculture in the Rio Negro: cupuí, a plant of the cocoa family, Brazil © L. Emperaire‑IRD/Pacta 87 Know‑how and transmission of skills Harnessing knowledge for biodversity confErence The 2014 biodiversity conference Saving biodiversity: is innovation the cure? Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, 13 June 2014 Co‑organised by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès and IDDRI at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the 5th annual international conference was devoted to the role of innovation – its contribution and limitations – in the preservation of biodiversity. The day‑long event drew speakers from a broad range of institutions around the world.They compared expertise and proposed ways to pilot technical and organisational innovation away from conflict and towards working in synergy with upholding biological diversity. The high cost of access to technological innovations posed the risk of a two‑tier approach to biodiversity, in the context of reduced knowledge and technology transfer between Northern and Southern countries. Shared access to technology, data and their processing and implementation emerged as an issue of central importance for greater solidarity and social justice. Innovation in agriculture should be regulated to ensure the equitable sharing and distribution of its benefits. Above all, we need to re‑think our perception of environmental regulation, so that it is not seen as an obstacle to economic activity, but as an opportunity to advance and promote knowledge, research and innovation. Contributions and debate throughout the day highlighted the need to anticipate potential links between biodiversity and innovation in order to limit the latter’s potentially negative impact. The issue’s political dimension further highlighted the need for communities, civil society and policy‑makers to access, organise and exploit the available data and tools for more effective management of ecosystems. Speakers highlighted the importance of transparency in communicating decision‑making processes, together with strengthening the capacities of stakeholders. Technological innovation was observed to be conditioned by the existence of organisational and socio‑economic innovations, highlighting the need for a review of the governance of key players, and the ways in which they appropriate innovations. Know‑how and transmission of skills Partnering IDDRI Rooted in our shared values and concerns, the Foundation’s partnership with IDDRI (the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations) was established in 2009 to define a common institutional stance, and an initial programme of joint projects. Both institutions respect the value of long‑term research and investigation for a better understanding of the vital issue of biodiversity. Both also share a cross‑disciplinary perspective embracing environmental, cultural, societal and economic factors, and a determination to communicate research results as widely and accessibly as possible: research findings are the building blocks for future global policy. It is in this context that the Foundation and IDDRI have come together as natural partners, organising two calls for projects focused on scientific action and research, and an annual conference on biodiversity (since 2010). The Foundation’s support for external projects in this essential field also includes IDDRI’s three‑year research programme, INVALUABLE. Biodiversity conference 2014 – Saving biodiversity: is innovation the cure? Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France, 13 June 2014 © IDDRI Harnessing knowledge for biodversity IDDRI 89 Know-how and transmission of skills Supporting biodiversity In addition to our own programmes for biodiversity, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès partners specific external projects working to preserve ecosystems around the world. Launched by IDDRI in 2012, with nine partner organisations across Europe, INVALUABLE is a research programme aimed at producing a critical analysis of market instruments likely to halt the erosion of biodiversity. Following a series of field studies in 2013, researchers have begun to report their findings at two international gatherings: the biennial conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE) held in Reykjavik (Iceland) in August 2014, and the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP12), held in Pyeongchang (Korea) in October 2014. INVALUABLE organised a side event at COP12, debating the role of innovative financial mechanisms (IFMs) as part of the Strategy for Resource Mobilization.The researchers’ final recommendations will be presented at a closing conference in Paris in June 2015, and in its subsequent published proceedings. while the INDP responds to calls for support from new families eager to join the programme. In Bolivia, the Foundation supports the work of Conservation International, partnering artisan food production by local communities living in the Madidi National Park (one of the world’s richest biodiversity reserves) and the Pilón Lajas Biosphere. The project aims to raise living standards for local people through the development of a quality artisan sector drawing on ancestral skills and respecting natural resources. Artisan cooperatives have been formed to promote sustainable forest management, and to develop products adapted to national and international markets. Distributed commercially under the WALISUMA label, with ‘green design’ certification, their output enjoys a high profile and wide acclaim in Bolivia, generating enhanced revenues for the artisans involved. Harnessing knowledge for biodiversity Lastly, in Paris, an original initiative at the Opéra Comique caught the Foundation’s attention. As a live theatre company, the Opéra Comique runs its own costume workshop, which wholly converted to the use of natural dyes in 2012.Vegetable and (occasionally) animal dyes have replaced chemical colorants. The pigments are completely eco‑friendly, harmless to users and the environment, and the dye‑vats can be re‑used. The initiative demonstrates how biodiversity issues permeate every aspect of life, in a wide variety of sectors. Natural dyes open up new creative perspectives, too, offering an almost infinite variety of colours. Beginning in 2014, the costume workshop at the Opéra Comique has welcomed school parties and others interested in natural dye techniques, and will soon be training costume colleagues in other theatre companies. Supported projects In 2014, INVALUABLE mobilised 32 researchers in 10 different countries to analyse economic tools with genuine potential to help preserve biodiversity. INDP beneficiaries have self‑evaluated the organisation’s projects, giving them a rating of eight (out of ten) for consistency. In Bolivia, Conservation International estimates that women artisans working with the WALISUMA project contribute half of their family’s total revenue, giving them an enhanced role in the household and society as a whole. In January 2014, over eighty different costumes were dyed naturally for the Opéra Comique’s production of Lakmé, with a vast palette of hues including apparently infinite shades of white, inspired by the colours of sand. Invaluable Indonesia, Cambodia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Belgium, Germany, France Supported since 2012 INDP Tamil Nadu, India Supported since 2008 Conservation International Bolivia Supported since 2011 Opéra Comique In India, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports the INDP (Intercultural Network for Development and Peace), an organisation whose work combines environmental protection and the preservation of heritage skills to help families achieve financial independence. The INDP helps fruit and vegetable growers to learn organic methods and develop domestic nurseries for medicinal plants while at the same time highlighting traditional knowledge. Families are encouraged to assert their fundamental rights by re‑appropriating their land through environmentally friendly agriculture, and to achieve autonomy by selling their produce at regional markets. The programme’s first beneficiaries are now passing on their skills, training future generations of growers, Paris, France Supported since 2013 Conservation International: Edelia Lucero (left), president of Tres Palmas, a not‑for‑profit association of women artisans in Bolivia © Juan Pablo Urioste Opéra Comique: natural dye vats in the costume studio, Paris, France © Opéra Comique 91 Know‑how and transmission of skills Getting involved: Hermès staff 3 and H Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 ‘Creative breath’, by Valérie Crand H 3 is an exciting programme offering staff at the house of Hermès a chance to open a window onto projects they feel passionate about, and to extend their commitment to a cause that has touched their lives. Heart – Head – Hand = H 3 . With this striking appeal for solidarity, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès invited, for the first time, Hermès staff around the world Getting involved means recognising each individual as a whole, in their private and working lives. Because when we come to work we bring with us a part of what we are and the things we believe in. to propose new projects for support, in the area of skills transmission. The internal call for projects attracted 64 submissions, bringing a wide range Enriched by this gesture of trust, the workspace is filled – more than ever – with the rich contributions of each and every team member, leading to more generous, inspired and inspirational relationships with others. of organisations with which Hermès staff members are personally involved to the attention of the Foundation. Nineteen projects were selected for support over a two‑year period (2014‑2015). These further extended the Foundation’s activities helping young people discover new trades, providing access to professional training and work skills, and safeguarding biodiversity. Each H 3 initiative is followed by the staff member who proposed it, H 3 is an opportunity to involve Hermès staff in exceptional, valuable projects in the public interest – programmes on a truly human scale, breathing new impetus and energy into the lives of all concerned. The supported projects are reinforced and extended through numerous opportunities to share testimonies of their work with the teams at the house of Hermès, reinforcing the latter’s embodiment of the links between the Foundation and the work of external, not‑for‑profit associations. in his or her role as ‘ambassador’ for the project to the Foundation and Hermès colleagues. H3 serves as a subtle connecting thread, projecting a timeless image of togetherness and solidarity across frontiers, in which Hermès and each one of us plays a part. valérie crand Deputy director, human resources, Holding Textile Hermès 93 Know‑how and transmission of skills Getting involved: Hermès staff support action for training and skills Among the projects proposed by Hermès staff for the H3 programme were a number dedicated to the preservation of important artisan skills and industries through training for new generations. The projects selected for support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès all have a strong emphasis on the transmission of traditional craft techniques. In France’s rural Ardèche, the not‑for‑profit association Liger organises training courses to help save the region’s traditional broom thatch and stone‑tiled roofs. Individuals and professionals interested in preserving this unique heritage can learn broom thatching and stone roofing techniques, and discover more about their important role in the preservation of local biodiversity. Rural architecture is central to the project steered by not‑for‑profit association Canova, in Italy, working to restore and raise awareness of traditional stone buildings in the village of Canova, and the abandoned village of Ghesc. International groups learn ancestral building techniques at the site, working with artisans from the local region. Canova also organises cultural activities in situ, designed to raise public awareness of vernacular architecture and the need to preserve it. In Haïti, a campaign to re‑house local populations following the earthquake of 12 January 2010 has adapted traditional vernacular architecture to new specifications, rendering it earthquake and storm resistant. Launched by the not‑for‑profit association Entrepreneurs du Monde, the HABITAT programme designs storm and quake‑resistant buildings, initially using recycled earthquake debris, and now incorporating local materials as far as possible. The association organises training sessions designed to teach the necessary building skills and encourage artisans to come together in professional associations to develop their businesses effectively. In Italy, two organisations focus on artisan skills as a springboard to new careers. In Como, the Cometa cooperative enables adolescents with severely disrupted school careers to take up workshop apprenticeships with master artisans in carpentry, restoration, decoration, home textiles or design. Designed to encourage new vocations and revive a declining local sector, the apprenticeships combine the transmission of artisan skills and basic business training.Traditional wood‑working skills are central to a project steered by the e.s.t.i.a. cooperative at Milan’s Bollate penitentiary. Inmates follow an intensive, demanding course of joinery training before moving on to the prison workshop, under the supervision of experienced artisans. The workshop produces furniture, theatrical decor and fine objects in wood by young designers, destined for retail outlets. Artisan joinery skills offer inmates new ways into work after prison. In Burundi, spirulina cultivation is becoming an important vector for the creation of new jobs. Not‑for‑profit association Solibu partners the development of a farm producing the algae (whose properties have proved effective in the fight against infant malnutrition), serving the nutritional needs of thousands of children in the region. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports training for new growers and farm managers at the site, fostering the development of this new agricultural business and the creation of more jobs in future. Cometa cooperative: restoration workshop, Como, Italy © Cometa Sainte‑Eulalie, France Support in 2014‑2015 Association Canova Canova, Italy Support in 2014‑2015 e.s.t.i.a. cooperative: joinery and cabinet‑making workshop, Milan‑Bollate penitentiary, Italy © e.s.t.i.a. Entrepreneurs du monde Haïti Support in 2014‑2015 Cometa cooperative Support in 2014‑2015 e.s.t.i.a. cooperative Milan, Italy Support in 2014‑2015 Khamir Kachchh region, India Support in 2014‑2015 The Foundation also supports two organisations focusing on agriculture as a vital sector for young people seeking new ways into work. In France, the not‑for‑profit association Cildéa has created the Jardin d’Astrée, an organic market garden maintained by young people, all of whom are long‑term unemployed. Participants learn eco‑friendly horticultural techniques, helping them to acquire new self‑confidence and discover new career opportunities in a professional environment. Action for training and skills Association Liger Como, Italy In India, Khamir works to reinforce and promote the Kachchh region’s multicultural craft tradition, as a crucible for skills in weaving, embroidery, fabric printing, knife‑making, dyeing, pottery, leatherwork, wool‑working and more. In particular, the project encourages young people to learn artisan skills rooted in their local communities, as well as organising exhibitions and training courses to raise awareness of this vibrant heritage. Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 Association Cildéa Boën‑sur‑Lignon, France In summer 2014, a week‑long course at a heritage restoration site organised by Liger attracted the maximum number of 18 trainees, from a wide range of backgrounds. Public events at the site also drew numerous visitors, sparking widespread interest. In 2014, Canova acquired another house in the heart of the abandoned village of Ghesc, as the focus of a new, more ambitious restoration project. A group of young architects has committed to the project, organising on‑site courses for their respective universities, and bringing fresh impetus to the association’s work. In 2014, Entrepreneurs du Monde trained 17 bosses (artisan entrepreneurs in Haïtian Creole). Another 16 are currently in training. In 2014, apprentices working with the Cometa collective produced the complete collection of wooden furniture for a small, 20‑room hotel in Novara. Prison detainees working with e.s.t.i.a. built the monumental set for a theatrical production at Bollate penitentiary, in 2014. Work by artisans trained with Khamir in 2014 will go on show in an exhibition of pottery entitled Ghadai, from January to March 2015. 65 artisans were involved in the project, spotlighting the history and rich heritage of the local pottery tradition. Support in 2014‑2015 Association Solibu Bujumbura, Burundi Support in 2014‑2015 Cildéa acquired a mechanical hoe in 2014, for efficient, herbicide‑free weeding, improved soil aeration and microbe life, and reduced watering. Support from the Foundation in 2014 enabled the production of more than 120kg of spirulina, for use by over 200 sick children and adults. Solibu has begun training three women producers to join the team at the farm in Gatumba. 95 Know‑how and transmission Getting involved: Hermès staff help people discover new trades and careers Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 Discovering new trades and careers Centre équestre de la Haute Ehn Obernai, France Support in 2014‑2015 Cara Mìa Theatre Co. Dallas, United States Support in 2014‑2015 Hermès staff contributing to the H3 programme put forward a variety of initiatives for support by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès aimed at children from underprivileged backgrounds and people with special needs.The selected projects, which cover almost every continent, reflect our commitment to help individuals discover previously unimagined professions and career opportunities. In Europe, the Centre équestre de la Haute Ehn in France hosts a day‑release training programme for young people no longer in mainstream education. Participants receive riding lessons and discover a variety of equestrian trades, learning their associated skills and techniques. The project promotes enhanced self‑confidence, discipline and, for some, new career opportunities in the equestrian sector. Access to art activities helps adolescents to find new channels of self‑expression and fulfilment, and may also open the way to unexpected career opportunities. In North America, Dallas’s Cara Mìa Theatre Company has launched The School of YES! for young people aged 7 to 21 who do not have the financial resources to pay for art classes. Led by established artists, participants take classes in play‑writing, acting, dance, music, choral singing, the visual arts, photography and film‑making. Each workshop culminates in a public performance, encouraging the young protagonists to say ‘Yes!’ to the future of their choice. A similar initiative, in Australia, seeks to counter the lack of musical education in the country’s state school system. The Australian Children’s Music Foundation provides instruments and music classes to underprivileged children living far from access to cultural resources such as these. Focusing on individual self‑fulfilment and collective practice, the scheme helps children to develop essential life skills as the adults of tomorrow. The Australian Children’s Music Foundation Australia Support in 2014‑2015 Off the coast of Africa, in Madagascar, Les Enfants du soleil provides vulnerable children from difficult backgrounds with a stable social framework and the life skills they need to become responsible members of society. Street children are welcomed at four residential and drop‑in centres, and six villages located across the country, offering advice and (if necessary) a secure home base until they reach adulthood. Children are encouraged to enter mainstream education and engage with professional training. Finally, in Asia, the Foundation supports two organisations helping young people with special needs find new ways into work. In Singapore, Project Dignity offers training in catering skills for young people with special needs, helping them to attain professional autonomy and financial independence as springboards to enhanced dignity and self‑esteem. Dignity Kitchen is a school run by Project Dignity as a fully functioning restaurant, open to the public and offering real‑time professional training.The organisation works with young participants to help them find sustainable jobs and a place in society. In Seoul, Korea, a non‑governmental organisation helps autistic people to function independently in the community, drawing on their particular aptitudes. The Autism Society of Korea encourages young adults with autism to develop and apply their skills in the workplace, and to find their own place as active, fulfilled members of society. Les Enfants du soleil Madagascar Autism Society of Korea, Seoul, Korea © ASK Support in 2014‑2015 Project Dignity Singapore Support in 2014‑2015 Autism Society of Korea Seoul, Korea Support in 2014‑2015 The number young people enrolled at the Centre équestre de la Haute Ehn in September 2014 was double that of the previous year. Cara Mía Theatre Co.: The School of Yes!, Dallas, United States © Cara Mía Theatre Co. 60 students attended The School of YES! summer camp in 2014, including 11 older students acting as professional Youth Leaders. During the year, The School of YES! organised a residency for 30 students from West Dallas (a so‑called ‘cradle‑to‑prison’ area), providing access to art practice as an alternative to gang culture and truancy and a pathway to new horizons. The Australian Children’s Music Foundation was chosen to organise Sydney’s programme for the Fête de la Musique (annual music festival) on 21 June 2014. 25 of the 27 adolescents supported by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès through the not‑for‑profit association Les Enfants du soleil graduated successfully to their second year of professional training. Project Dignity launched a muffin stall managed by four young people aged 22 to 26, preparing and selling their own, home‑baked produce. The Autism Society of Korea organised a specially targeted illustration and design course from September to December 2014. Les Enfants du soleil, Madagascar © Capucine Réquillart 97 Know-how and transmission of skills Getting involved: Hermès staff and H 3 Promoting biodiversity Getting involved: Hermès staff support initiatives for biodiversity La Mine at CAPC Bordeaux, France Support in 2014‑2015 Le Mas joyeux Marseille, France Support in 2014‑2015 Several initiatives selected for support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès as part of the H3 programme reflect our commitment to preserve biodiversity. One such is installed on the roof of the CAPC museum of contemporary art in Bordeaux. La Mine is a group of five beehives connected to an Internet platform. The innovative hive produces not only beeswax, propolis and honey, but also data on bee behaviour, transmitted live online for analysis by beekeepers and researchers.The installation helps refine sustainable beekeeping practices, and contributes to biodiversity at the heart of an extensive urban area. Marseille’s 10th arrondissement is home to a garden shared by children living apart from their parents at Le Mas joyeux, and the residents of the neighbouring old people’s home. Working with local artists, Le Mas joyeux has used recycled materials to develop the space and foster the creation of an eco‑friendly vegetable garden worked by the children and their senior neighbours. The project favours the transmission of manual skills and expertise across the generations, for the continuation and development of the shared kitchen garden. Near to the French city of Clermont‑Ferrand, the Puy de Montaudou is an extinct volcano and the site of an ancient Roman theatre, but this natural space was being eroded by visitors and used for farming with little regard for its importance.The not‑for‑profit association études ET chantiers is leading a community project to develop the site with a view to its gaining classification as a sensitive natural area – an example of a social experiment with sustainability at its core. The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is a city‑wide initiative aimed at revitalising the inhabitants’ relationship to their urban environment through the creation of giant murals. Supported by the Foundation, the ‘Restored Spaces’ project offers a particular focus on ecological issues.The scheme draws on anecdotes and stories related to plants, collected from local people and depicted as murals, forging connections between the citizens and their surroundings, and raising awareness of the need to protect plants in the urban environment. In Morocco, an entire region is reaping the benefits of a scheme to protect the environment by collecting plastic bags littering the landscape and recycling them into elegant woven accessories.The Association du Docteur Fatiha mobilises the population to collect the bags, after which local women transform them from litter into accessories using traditional weaving techniques. The scheme promotes environmental protection, job creation, access to professional and financial autonomy for women, and the transmission of an ancestral artisan skill. Études ET Chantiers Clermont‑Ferrand, France Support in 2014‑2015 PHILADELPHIA MURAL ARTS PROGRAM Association du Docteur Fatiha: workshop in Morocco © Faiza Hajji Philadelphia, United States Support in 2014‑2015 Association du Docteur Fatiha Berkane, Morocco Support in 2014‑2015 Captors at the CAPC hive in Bordeaux have collected 48,136 statistics on bee behaviour for a database accessible to the public and researchers alike. Philadelphia Mural Arts Program: young people and artists working on the mural Room for Growth, Philadelphia, USA © City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program Le Mas joyeux organised 32 creative and gardening events for its community of children and their senior neighbours in 2014 – double the number held in 2013. Visual artist France de Ranchin was invited to work at the orchard in the Joyeux Jardin in 2014 – the first time an artist has worked in situ. 2014 saw consultations between the various parties in the Puy de Montaudou project steered by études ET chantiers, in preparation for a launch in 2015. 550 young people and adults took part in the Mural Arts Program’s ‘Restored Spaces’ project in Philadelphia. Support from the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès enabled the Association du Docteur Fatiha to develop a new collection of 10 accessories made from recycled plastic bags. The collection was launched in 2014. La Mine: beehives at the CAPC museum of contemporary art in Bordeaux, France © CAPC – Frédéric Duval 99 101 H 3 selection committee Pierre-Alexandre Bapst Sustainable development director, Hermès International Augustin de Champeaux Group human resources director, Hermès International Valérie Crand Deputy human resources director, Holding Textile Hermès Sophie Duverne Human resources development director, Hermès International Nataly Ferrand Networking projects director, human resources, Hermès International Jérôme Fougeras de Lavergnolle Chef executive officer and chairman, cristalleries Saint-Louis Jérôme Frémont Talent director, human resources, Hermès International Clément Le Duc Project manager, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès HERVÉ RUDAUX Board member, IECD (European Institute for Cooperation and Development) Catherine Tsekenis Director, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Sophie Vergara Internal communications director, Hermès International The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès would like to thank all the Hermès staff who proposed a project, as well as the ambassadors of the projects selected for the H3 programme. © Philippe Dufour-Loriolle 103 The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 104 105 106 Statutes, budget, headquarters Board of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Team and Contact The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Statutes, headquarters, budget Statutes Board 2014 The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is subject to the terms of French law nº87‑571 of 23 July 1987, relative to the development of corporate patronage, modified by law nº90‑559 of 4 July 1990 and refined by decree nº91‑1005 of 30 September 1991, modified by decree nº2002‑998 of 11 July 2002, modified by laws nº2002‑5 of 4 January 2002 and nº2003‑709 of 1 August 2003, and fiscal ruling nº112 of 13 July 2004. The Board of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès comprises representatives of its founding companies (Hermès Sellier and Hermès International), representatives of the staff of those companies, and qualified persons from the Foundation’s areas of activity. The terms of the French law of 4 July 1990 and its decree of application nº91‑1005 of 30 September 1991 stipulate a minimum duration of five years for any corporate foundation, and a commitment on the part of the founders to the sum to be disbursed over that period. budget April 2013 – April 2018: €40m (second term) Headquarters Patrick Albaladejo Pierre‑Alexis Dumas Pascale Mussard Deputy chief executive (strategy and image), Hermès International General artistic director, Hermès International; president of the Foundation Artistic director, ‘petit h’; vice‑president of the Foundation Henri‑Louis Bauer Executive Board president, Émile Hermès SARL Ménéhould de Bazelaire Director (cultural heritage), Hermès International Valérie Burguière Human resources development manager, Hermès Femme; staff representative, Hermès Femme Edna Dumas Journalist Bernhardt Eichner Managing director, Hermès Service Group; deputy treasurer of the Foundation Pierre Fleuriot Actor Mineaki Saito Deputy chief executive, Hermès International Chief executive officer, Crédit Suisse France Martine Tridde‑Mazloum Jérôme Fougeras de Lavergnolle Chef executive officer and chairman, cristalleries Saint‑Louis; treasurer of the Foundation Hubert Guerrand Vice‑president, Émile Hermès SARL Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 24, faubourg Saint‑Honoré 75008 Paris France Jean‑Baptiste Puech André Larquié President or the Cercle des amis de Noureev, the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Centre chorégraphique de Lorraine and Cité internationale des arts; honorary president, Palais omnisports Paris‑Bercy Head of corporate philanthropy, BNP Paribas Group Catherine TsEkEnis Director of cultural and philanthropic projects, Hermès International; director of the Foundation Laurence Tubiana Director, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) Cyrille Violot General Counsel Hermès Asia; staff representative for Hermès International succeeded by Marc Voinchet Radio producer and broadcaster David Dupont‑Noël succeeded by Christine Bouvry from 14 October 2014 External auditors 105 107 The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès Team, contact Team Pierre‑Alexis Dumas President Catherine Tsekenis Director Claire Avignon Executive assistant Frédéric Hubin Head of editorial image Sacha Menasce Public relations manager Blandine Buxtorf‑d’Oria Project manager Clément Le Duc Project manager Clémence Miralles‑Fraysse Project manager Manon Renonciat‑Laurent Project manager © Philippe Dufour-Loriolle The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès thanks its two founding companies – Hermès Sellier and Hermès International – the members of the Board, and all of its partners, artists, exhibition curators, residency mentors, jury members for the Prix Émile Hermès and the Hermès Foundation Missulsang, the members of its steering and selection committees, and the institutions, museums and theatres, companies, not‑for‑profit associations and NGOs whose projects it supports in the community. The Foundation would also like to thank the different departments (direction, artistic direction, the Pôle Amont et Participations, legal, human resources, digital, media and publicity, press relations, documentation, accounts...), métiers and subsidiaries (the French workshops and international subsidiaries) of the group of Hermès, who are dedicated partners in the Foundation’s activities around the world. Together with: Donia Lakhdar, production manager for the exhibitions at La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis, Hugues Jacquet, external project manager, Skills Academy Philippe Boulet, press attaché Brigitte Jais and Marylène Malbert, editors Thierry Consigny et Helena Marquez (Saltimbanque) and all of our suppliers and collaborators. Lastly, the Foundation would like to thank the interns and work placement participants who have contributed to our activities in 2014: Marion Rolland, Miriam Procureur, Sophie Alöe, Clara Boucheny, Julie Arnaud, Ingrid Hazan and Sandrine Philippart. © Philippe Dufour-Loriolle contact Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 24, faubourg Saint‑Honoré 75008 Paris, France Tel. +33 (0)1 40 17 46 43 [email protected] www.fondationdentreprisehermes.org Published by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès President Pierre‑Alexis Dumas Publisher Catherine Tsekenis Editorial director Frédéric Hubin Assisted by Miriam Procureur (intern) Distribution Sacha Menasce Managing editor Marylène Malbert Guest contributors, on the theme ‘Creative breath’ Ann Veronica Janssens, Jean de Loisy, Patrick Jouin, Valérie Boisvert, Valérie Crand Curators and programme coordinators at the Foundation’s art spaces: Guillaume Désanges (La Verrière, Brussels), Reiko Setsuda (Le Forum, Tokyo), Emi Eu (Third Floor, Singapore), Cory Jacobs (The Gallery at Hermès, New York), Paul Cottin (TH13, Bern), Jean de Loisy and Sandra Adam‑Couralet (La Grande Place, musée du cristal Saint‑Louis) Gaël Charbau, exhibiton curator, Condensation (Tokyo, Seoul) Graphic design Atelier Julia Bernard Cover photograph Susanna Fritscher, Souffle, 2014 (crystal, L: 76cm, diam.: 35cm) Commissioned by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès for the exhibition Simple Shapes, produced at the cristalleries Saint‑Louis. © Susanna Fritscher Sub‑editor and proof reader (French version) Danielle Marti English translation Louise Rogers Lalaurie Sub‑editor and proof reader (English version) Alison Culliford French translation Kelly Rivière The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès thanks everyone who has contributed to the publication of this annual review of its activities. Produced and printed March 2015 by Imprimerie Moutot for the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès 24, faubourg Saint‑Honoré, 75008 Paris www.fondationdentreprisehermes.org Not for sale All rights reserved © Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, Paris 2015