Portrait of Jérémy Gobé in his art studio © Manuel Obadia Wills

Jérémy Gobé is a French environmental artist. His innovative project, called Corail Artefact, combines science, art, innovation and technology. Known for his unexpected use of corals, Jérémy Gobé sees art as an opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of communities. Gobé quite naturally came up with the idea of combining his work with a strong ecological approach that is anchored in its time. Discover this groundbreaking artist with Artsper!

1. Hello Jérémy! Can you tell us more about yourself and your artistic journey?

I was born in Cambrai in the North of France and studied art in Lorraine, more precisely in Nancy, and then in Paris at the Arts Décoratifs. Since then, I have lived and worked in Paris.

2. Where does your passion for corals and underwater life come from? When you were younger, did you plan on pursuing a career in environmental art?

In 2010, I found some corals at Emmaüs. I often go to flea markets to find objects from the past that I would like to bring back to light through a new creation. Nobody knew who had put them there, under a table, and the strangest thing was that they were still wet, as if they had only recently left the sea. I was fascinated by these sculptures of nature and I decided to confront nature as if it were an artist and to continue working with these corals as if they were still alive, with different materials (knitting, construction pegs, porcelain...).

About my career, I didn't know as a child or even as a teenager that art studies existed. I always liked to create but I didn't know that it was studied and I didn't even imagine that I could be an artist myself one day. It was during my year at the Nancy School of Architecture that a classmate told me about the Beaux-Arts, saying that I, who was always drawing, would probably be happier there, and she was right!

During my first three years of study, I looked for what would be my focus as an artist, what made me get up in the morning and create. I was very touched by the many stories I heard about the factories that were closing down in the area. The encounters with these laborers with no work and closing factories helped me build my first creations. Ecology came naturally, by creating artistic projects which emphasized know-how and by linking them to the stakes of our time; the environmental aspect came in all logic. It was all common sense.

 On the Left: Jérémy Gobé printing lace on coral © Lionel Pagès L'AGORA DES ARTS 2019. On the Right: The artist working on a prototype © Thomas Granovsky.

3. Since 2017, you've been working with your collaborators on the Corail Artefact project; it merges science, art, innovation and ecology. Can you further explain it to our readers?

The idea is to bring together art, science, industry, know-how and education in order to develop concrete solutions for the preservation and regeneration of coral reefs around the world. Art is a great way to raise awareness, but for my part, I wanted to go further than just denunciation. Everyone knows the state of our environment but few propose solutions. I therefore decided to use my creativity to create works of art to raise public awareness, but also for scientific and industrial research in order to develop concrete actions. I also wanted to add an educational component so that everyone can be informed of the situation as well as of the ways to act for this cause that concerns us all.

4. Lace is at the center of your vision. You've developed a new kind that serves as a support to encourage the natural regeneration of coral reefs. Why this fabric? Did you do any particular research on its heritage and tradition?

The idea came when I discovered bobbin lace and its traditional pattern called the spirit stitch. It looks exactly like the design of one of the corals I was using in my work. I knew the dangers that threaten corals and especially that one of the ways to act is to build a support to capture the larvae that get lost during the egg-laying. The connection between this fabric and this dream support was made immediately. Then, I tested the idea and improved the principle through several series of samples.

On the Left: Jérémy Gobé creating a lace piece © Thomas Granovsky. On the Right: Illustration © Corail Artefact.

5. From a scientific point of view, coral is a vital organism to the marine ecosystem. It appeared at least 500 million years ago and is home to half of the marine biodiversity. From an artistic point of view, what inspired you in coral?

It's really that association between form and function. From my artistic point of view, corals are the most beautiful sculptures I've ever seen. But the forms nature has implemented to shape them are guided by function, like the circulation of oxygen, for example. Also, corals are vital to our survival on Earth. I've always loved artistic works that went beyond their primary role - which is to escape the art world - and directly impact people's lives.

6. You pay particular attention to using second-hand materials for your exhibitions; you thrift vintage furniture, you find old fabrics... Are the notions of solidarity and valorization of people and territories central in your work?

Yes, this is what motivates each of my creations, to weave a link between the different domains of society, to create virtuous circles where everyone finds their fair place. Otherwise, my works would have little meaning for me and I would not feel legitimate to create if they participated in the problems of our time.

7. Given the climate crisis, do you think it's up to artists to find solutions? And, to go further, can art save the planet?

I would say that it is up to everyone to find solutions, to all those who have ideas and the means to realize them, no matter from which field these ideas come. I think we have sectorized creation in clear-cut fields. When I see artists like Da Vinci who explored mechanics, science and painting in the same way, I wonder at what point artists were locked in their studios and in their productions in the eyes of society. We talk about the scientific approach necessary for the development of an idea, but I would say that the artistic approach is vital for any company, no matter in which field; creativity allows us to take up all the challenges, to remain competitive, innovative...

8. You've created a new biodegradable biopolymer material to allow coral larvae to attach themselves to the reefs and boost their regeneration. You'll finally be able to test its effectiveness at the end of 2022... Do you have any other exciting projects for this year?

If the conditions allow it, I'll be able to test the new prototypes of all the solutions that are currently under development. Biopolymer lace, but also ecological concrete structures, 3D printing ecological cutting systems... In short, science follows its course and beautiful exhibition projects will come. The best thing to do is to follow the social networks of Corail Artefact on which I regularly put the latest news of the project.