OPEN-AIR EXHIBITION - FROM GLACIER TO OASIS

Open-air exhibition "From glacier to oasis".
10th edition of L'Art'Cherche in partnership with the Observatoire Océanologique Banyuls.

From 20 March, as part of the tenth edition of L'Art'Cherche, the Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer (OOB) is pleased to present its annual open-air exhibition "Du Glacier à l'Oasis" on the Albert Sagols esplanade, opposite the Observatoire.

From voyages of discovery to modern scientific expeditions, this exhibition takes visitors on a journey through a fascinating and distant world, the Southern Ocean and its mythical howling 50th.
Around the Kerguelen Islands, visitors will discover the multitude of emblematic species of birds and marine mammals that inhabit this oasis, as well as the rapid melting of the island's glaciers. The exhibition illustrates why scientists working on the MARGO* project are looking for a possible link between the two.
The ships and tools needed for this expedition are presented, as are the men and women in action, whose passion, concentration and collaboration are all characteristic values of scientific research.
Part of the exhibition is also devoted to the imaginary world of the Southern Ocean, as seen through the eyes of pupils from the Jules Ferry nursery school in Collioure and the eyes of the artist "Minuit", who created a watercolour using seawater collected on site.
The exhibition highlights the scientific research being carried out in the Kerguelen Islands and reveals the fragility of this unique environment in the face of ongoing changes.

* The MARGO scientific project (https://margo.obs-banyuls.fr) is studying the impact of the melting Kerguelen glaciers on the surrounding marine ecosystem. This ecosystem is a veritable oasis in the Southern Ocean, home to emblematic species of birds (albatross, penguins, etc.) and marine mammals (elephant seals, sea lions, whales, etc.). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Nature Reserve.

This exhibition has been awarded the "La Mer en Commun" label as part of the Year of the Sea 2025 (www.mer.gouv.fr/la-mer-en-commun).