New exhibition “Au charbon !”

“Au charbon !”, which literally translates as “to the coal !”, is a French idiom meaning ‘Let’s get to work!’. 

Coal, a combustible, carbon-rich rock formed from the decomposition of plant matter, is the raw material for a symbolic narrative of design, from its industrial origins to the era of post-carbon energy transition.
Today, this natural element remains humanity’s second most important energy source after oil, the leading source of electricity, and its combustion is responsible for a large proportion of the planet’s CO2 emissions. In this exhibition, designers, architects and visual artists take up the theme, combining memories and techniques from the past with the need for solutions to the present emergency. The works brought together express both a damning assessment of the situation and the reasons for hope for which design is the voice.

This exhibition is presented in partnership with the CID Grand Hornu.