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Residency

Violaine Barrois

Violaine Barrois, Negative ilford delta 400 developed with an ecological alternative process of sage (photography, Pierre Girardin)

Cove Park’s fourth residency through the partnership programme Magnetic Residencies has been awarded to the Marseille-based artist Violaine Barrois.

Violaine Barrois’ practice explores the relationship between humans and nature. Educated at the École Supérieure de Design de Marseille (ESDM), and at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Barrois combines her academic background and experiences from numerous residencies to critically reflect on ecology and its implications.

Barrois’ artistic approach seeks to resolve the tension between a sacralised vision of nature, often detached from reality, and the biophysical dynamics we navigate. Her work calls for re-inscribing humans into processes of renewal and invention, addressing the constant pressures exerted by environmental changes, while restoring nature’s active and creative role in shaping our shared future.

Her projects, often conducted in collaboration with environmental institutions such as the Port-Cros National Park and the Bureau des Guides GR2023, challenge conventional methods of biodiversity preservation. She creates a methodological tool for rethinking the role of humans in the coevolution and spread of living organisms, especially in the context of climate change. Barrois suggests that, contrary to the belief that human intervention is inherently negative, it can foster creative, innovative responses to our environmental challenges.

The former Magnetic residents at Cove Park are Carla Adra, David Douard, and Laure Vigna.