A collective of women and men with connections to the Vienne aim to spark a shift in perspective, at a time when they feel surrounded by signs of upheavel.

Water, once taken for granted in these regions, is becoming a pressing political issue. The Vienne, a little-known and untamed tributary of the Loire, is increasingly seen as a testing ground for hydroelectric development. This prospect risks accelerating the river’s artificialisation and deepens the commissioners’ sense of urgency to act.

The commissioners are questioning how nature’s interests might be represented and defended within institutions – statutorily – and not merely through ecological conviction. They aim to challenge and transform the myths, stories and human fictions that contribute to the world’s destruction. Together, they want to attune themselves to the living world and entrust an artist with a commission in a way that allows them to share the culture of the river with as wide an audience as possible, celebrating the attachment and inspiration it inspires.