The call for creations is launched for the second edition of the Monumental Forest, within the national forest of Roumare, in Canteleu in 2024.

The return of La Forêt Monumentale was approved by the Metropolitan Council, within the national forest of Roumare, in Canteleu in 2024. Supported by the Métropole Rouen Normandie, in collaboration with the National Office of Forests, La Forêt Monumentale is a monumental art exhibition project, open to all. First stone of this new edition: the call for creations has just been officially launched! This project is part of the dynamics of forest development in the Metropolis and in Rouen’s candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028.

For Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, Mayor of Rouen, President of the Rouen Normandy Metropolis, Laurence Renou, Vice-President in charge of culture, Charlotte Goujon, Vice-President in charge of ecological transition, health, health and industrial safety, Christine de Cintré, Delegate Metropolitan Councilor in charge of tourism and Rouen European Capital of Culture 2028, and Mélanie Boulanger, Mayor of Canteleu: “ The first edition of La Forêt Monumentale having met with great success, we are delighted to offer a second edition to the inhabitants of the Metropolis and to visitors, in 2024, in Canteleu! This event will fit into the vast framework of our candidacy to become European Capital of Culture in 2028. The opportunity to enhance our exceptional forest heritage which covers 1/3 of our territory, to invite a return to nature while making a popular and original cultural proposal. »

Designed as an exhibition of large format, ecological and family works, La Forêt Monumentale is a unique route of several kilometers allowing visitors to discover or rediscover, independently, the forests of the metropolitan territory through the artistic prism. The first edition of La Forêt Monumentale took place from September 2019 to September 2021 in the Green Forest in the municipalities of Bois-Guillaume, Mont-Saint-Aignan and Houppeville. The participation of artists from all over the world ensures an international influence and a notorious maintenance of the event both among professionals and visitors. A total of 401 projects from around the world were submitted by visual artists, designers and architects from 28 countries. 400,000 visitors enjoyed thirteen ephemeral works created and presented over two years.

Launch of a call for creation for the second edition
Building on the success of the first edition, the Métropole, in collaboration with the ONF, is organizing the second edition of Forêt Monumentale which will take place from June 2024 to September 2026. The chosen location is the Roumare national forest, in Canteleu. This forest received the “Forêt d’exception” label in 2015, renewed in 2022. Awarded by an independent national committee, this label aims to reward the excellence initiatives implemented in emblematic state forests. The event contributes to Rouen’s candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture by welcoming artists from all over the world and by forging collaborations between local, national and international artistic networks. A route of more than 4 kilometers has been identified, allowing the installation of works and the journey of visitors. It will include twelve ephemeral works and one permanent work, new to this second edition.
This unique route allows visitors to discover or rediscover this remarkable natural environment with a different perspective. It invites us to explore in a wooded expanse works imagined by visual artists, landscapers, artists, designers and architects who immerse themselves in these green lungs and experiment with other forms of creation. The Monumental Forest is an opportunity to explore new inspirations, and new stories thus questioning the relationship between humans and nature. Nine of the monumental ephemeral creations that will make up the future route will be selected via a call for creations launched on Monday, November 21, 2022. This is open to all, professionals and students, national and international, from all disciplines of the creative field: artists, visual artists, architects, landscape architects, designers, performers, graphic designers…

Participation can be individual or collective. Those wishing to participate have until February 27, 2023 midnight to submit their online application.
The second edition offers, in addition to the nine works subject to a call for applications:
– a work by an artist from the Czech Republic, another State which will host a European Capital of Culture in 2028;
– a contemporary creation of the territory and its future talents by proposing a work produced in partnership with a higher education establishment;
– a bio-sourced work to promote a Normandy sector, using a local, natural, healthy building material with a low carbon footprint.

This call for creations is organized in two phases

First phase: to answer it, candidates wishing to participate will be asked:
– a sketch of the intention of their project,
– references of their previous production.
Only candidates selected by the technical committee could participate in the second phase.

Second phase: the selected candidates (about twenty) will benefit from financial support to develop their proposal within the framework of a restricted competition and will have to go to the site to visit the premises in order to be able to properly detail their project. The Métropole will set two visit dates during the month of May 2023. Among the twenty selected candidates who have developed their project, a final jury will choose nine participants invited to carry out their proposal.

Provisional timetable
PHASE 1: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
➜ Launch: November 21, 2022
➜ Deadline for submitting applications: February 27, 2023, 00:00 (French time)
➜ March/April 2023: selection committee.

PHASE 2: RESTRICTED COMPETITION
Only selected candidates are invited to compete.
➜ May – October 2023: project development period for shortlisted artists
➜ October 23, 2023: submission of finalized proposals
➜ November 2023: meeting of the jury and announcement of the selected candidates
➜ Between November 2023 and June 2024: production of works
➜ June 2024: inauguration.