Biocenosis

Alice Audouin, Biocenosis. Art & Biodiversity, Paris, Éditions Lord Byron, 2023

1st edition
Edition of 500 copies
Hardcover, 23 x 28 cm, 112 pages
French English edition
Translated in English by Simon Thurston
ISBN : 978-2-491901-64-6
Printed in Europe on FSC paper
Texts by Alice Audouin, Emanuele Coccia and Juliette Soulez
Photographs: Jean-Christophe Lett and Barthélémy Thumerelle

This bilingual book documents in depth the contemporary art exhibition on biodiversity "Biocenosis", curated by the author for her association Art of Change 21, on the occasion of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) World Conservation Congress and at La Traverse in Marseille.

The book Biocenosis. Art & biodiversity offers an unprecedented encounter between contemporary art and biodiversity issues. Prefaced by Emanuele Coccia, philosopher and lecturer at the EHESS, the book is accompanied by interviews with the artists exhibited, who share their convictions and the ways in which they engage with the protection of living things through their art. It also details the exhibition's social and environmental impact.

This book is dedicated to the memory of Lin May Saeed, a major featured artist of the exhibition Biocenosis who passed away in 2023.

The international "Biocenosis" exhibition, organized by Art of Change 21 at the request of the OFB (Office Français de la Biodiversité) was sponsored by LVMH, Ruinart and the Schneider Electric Foundation. It took place in Marseilles at the IUCN World Conservation Congress and at La Traverse.

The catalog Biocenosis. Art & Biodiversity is supported by LVMH.

Marie-Sarah Adenis
Born 1986 in Paris (FR) Lives and works in Paris (FR)

Art Orienté Objet
Artistic duo created in 1991 in Paris, comprising Marion Laval-Jeantet and Benoît Mangin. Live and work in Paris (FR).

Thijs Biersteker
Born 1983 in Den Helder (NL). Lives and works in Zaandam (NL)

Julian Charrière
Born in 1987 in Morges (CH). Lives and works in Berlin (DE).

Marcus Coates
Born in 1968 in London (UK). Lives and works in London (UK)

Abdessamad El Montassir
Born in 1989 in Morocco. Lives and works between Boujdour and Rabat (MA)

John Gerrard
Born 1974 in Dublin (IE). Lives and works between Dublin, Ireland and Vienna (AT)

Jérémy Gobé
Born in 1986 in Cambrai (FR). Lives and works in Paris (FR)

Caroline Halley des Fontaines
Born in 1971 in Chambéry (FR). Lives and works in Paris and Guéthary (FR)

Camille Henrot
Born in 1978 in Paris (FR). Lives and works in New York, NY (US)

Janet Laurence
Born 1947 in Sydney (AU). Lives and works in Sydney (AU)

Lin May Saeed
Born 1973 in Würzburg (DE). Died in 2023 in Berlin (DE)

Tomás Saraceno
Born in 1973 in San Miguel de Tucumán (AR). Lives and works in Berlin (DE)

Michael Wang
Born 1981 in Olney, MD (US). Lives and works in New York, NY (US)

French pioneer of the relationship between contemporary art and the environment since 2004, Alice Audouin initiated the first international colloquium on this topic at UNESCO.
President and founder of the association Art of Change 21, sponsored by the artist Olafur Eliasson, she has curated several environmental exhibitions, including "Biocenosis" in 2021, "Novacène" and "Vita Extremis" in 2022, as well as "Crude Gratitude" in 2024.
Alice Audouin also works as a consultant in sustainable development for the culture and luxury industries.

Born in 1976, Emanuele Coccia is a philosopher of Italian origin. Lecturer at EHESS (École des hautes études en sciences sociales) since 2011, he was assistant professor at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau from 2008 to 2011, researcher and visiting professor at the University of Tokyo in 2009, Buenos Aires in 2010, Düsseldorf in 2013 as well as at Columbia University in 2015/2016.

Juliette Soulez is a graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She holds a master's degree in philosophy from Paris I and a DEA in philosophy from Paris VIII. She was editor-in-chief of the art, design and architecture magazine Archistorm and then of the American news website Blouin Artinfo France. She is a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) and writes for numerous art magazines.