Presentation of the Cross-Residency(ies)
Artist : Gaétan Vaguelsy
Exhibition from June 2 to 26, 2026
Opening: Monday, June1, 2026, at 6 p.m.
Espace culturel - Montpellier site
Since 2016, the Faculty of Education has offered an annual artist residency in the fall at its Montpellier campus. At the same time, the Florian Preschool, in partnership with MO.CO., launched an annual residency program. In 2020, the two residencies were combined into a single program.
The cross-residency program consists of four key phases: a residency at the FDE-UM in the fall (creation, solo exhibition, and workshops); a residency by the same artist at the École Florian, in partnership with the MO.CO., in the spring (creation, workshops, exhibition for parents), a presentation in the form of an exhibition of work created by students from the faculty and the École Florian in May–June at the Faculty of Education, and a period dedicated to research at the start of the following academic year.
The exhibition “Restitution of the Cross-Residency(ies)” by Gaétan Vaguelsy documents the various stages of this residency journey. For this occasion, the artist has curated a presentation of the various works created with university students and kindergarteners within the cultural space of the Faculty of Education. This stage offers an opportunity to compare the different phases of the residency and to bring together the diverse audiences engaged by this cycle.
To listen to the artist’s interview on Radio France, click here
The Résidence(s) croisée(s ) brings together the Faculty of Education of the University of Montpellier, theFlorian nursery school and MO.CO. around a common project: to offer an artist a space for creation and transmission, while promoting encounters between art, education and the public. This tripartite partnership has become a not-to-be-missed event, giving art a unique place in learning environments every year.
Before enrolling at the Beaux-Arts de Montpellier in 2013, artist Gaétan Vaguelsy grew up off the beaten track in the Paris region. After dropping out of school at the end of middle school, he grew up on the fringes with a group of friends. Together they experienced many adventures. These adventures forged him and he feels today the importance of that carefree period, to which he and his friends,past and present, would like to pay tribute.friends.
In his work, the queens and kings are those in his entourage. They represent both a pivotal stage in his life and an entire generation. In his paintings, he always portrays them in a positive, glorious light. Beyond presenting a triumphant image of these young people, he uses symbolism to remind us of the fragile, sensitive human condition, always in search of fulfillment and happiness. He is also keen to echo history.
