FLOATING ISLAND ART CENTER: FINISTÈRE AND BEYOND

Finis Terrae - Island Art Center is pioneering a unique approach in France by organizing artist residencies based on the island of Ouessant. Through an annual residency program, French and international artists are invited to stay at the Créac’h lighthouse—owned and managed by the Finistère Departmental Council—to develop artistic reflections or works connected to the local context. Additionally, tailored expeditions offer opportunities for residencies, exhibitions, and collaborations across the Ponant Islands, in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and more broadly within maritime and coastal regions in Finistère and worldwide.
Finis Terrae - Island Art Center, floating, Finistère-based, and global, promotes movement, perspective, and detachment, essential for the advancement of artistic research and practices. It addresses themes related to the sea, isolation, landscapes, insularity, and local culture.

THE ISLAND AS AN AMPLIFIER

In the book Jean Epstein: Filmmaker of the Islands (Jean Michel Place Editions), Vincent Guignent writes:
“When heading to Brittany, Jean Epstein did not forget his intentions or his cinematic grammar. By exploring both event and myth, he depicted an archaic, pantheistic relationship between humans and the elements: water, air, fire, and earth. At the edges of the world, Finis Terrae, he refined a poetic style that gives as much importance to nature and objects as to his characters. The sea becomes a living character, with the swell as its language, and the lenses of lighthouses as eyes watching the ocean.”

On Ouessant, the island possesses a physical dimension that is fascinating to experience. Its size is just large enough to challenge us to take a long walk in order to explore and discover it. One might say the island is an amplifier! When an atmospheric depression occurs, the wind is fiercer than on the mainland, and the size of the rocks and crashing waves becomes enormous. In contrast, the islanders remain sheltered in their small houses. The entire island is put to the test of the storm, and yet, twenty-four hours later, calm may return.

Each time I stay, I discover something new and perceive the details of the coastline differently. This is undoubtedly due to the ever-changing simultaneity of the elements at play. This simultaneity draws me toward new perceptions. In this process, I leave ample room for intuition, with false leads sometimes necessary to embrace in order to move forward.

A word from the President, Marcel Dinahet

FINIS TERRAE, A ART CENTER

…ISLAND BASED

We support artists and theorists working in the field of visual arts through research or production residencies on islands and along the coast. We foster reflection, artistic action, and creation, organizing exhibitions, talks, and publications that address issues related to the sea, isolation, the coastline, landscapes, insularity, and local culture.
We are committed to the long term, aiming to create a shared territory and strengthen connections with the context.

…FLOATING

We have no permanent space, no exhibition hall, and no storage facility—nor do we plan to have any. Our focus is on the flexibility of projects that adapt and take shape within the context of islands and maritime spaces. Priority is given to resource efficiency and to responding to various situations, the artists’ projects, and local or external needs. Artists are selected based on their connection to the overarching project and the relevance of their approach to the residency and dissemination contexts.

…FINISTERE BASES

Our activities are centered on the Ponant Islands and coastal areas in Finistère. Open natural spaces—beaches, port quays, coves, etc.—are numerous and readily available. Additionally, the larger islands are well-equipped with media libraries and multipurpose halls. Our residency and dissemination program is conducted in and from these spaces, in collaboration with partners, residents, and institutions, enabling us to pursue artist residencies far beyond this territory.

…GLOBAL

We develop projects in wild territories dominated by remarkable natural landscapes. We encourage movement, distance, and perspective—essential elements for the development of artistic research and practices. More broadly, the association is committed to promoting contemporary art, both national and international, in locations peripheral to the “art world.” International artists are invited in parallel with joint projects involving organizations on a global scale.

MARCEL DINAHET
Artiste, président et fondateur de l’association

ANN STOUVENEL
Directrice artistique de Finis terrae – Centre d’art insulaire

• The artists and theorists we host are both national and international. Residents are invited to work independently for one month, engaging in a retreat-style residency that connects with the unique context of the Créac’h lighthouse on Ouessant.

• The artists and theorists we host are responsive and close-knit. Depending on the approaching storms, residents are encouraged to shift their focus and step away from their daily routines for a short period, in an isolated territory, battered by winds and swells.

• On the other side of the Atlantic, across from Ouessant, lies Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a welcoming land for artists who wish to inhabit this unique territory for a month. Residents are invited to explore the culture and meet the locals.

• The seas are also places conducive to creation, forming a unique space-time, a floating and mobile workshop. Artists invited to board specially provided boats produce work both above and below the water, during short periods of time.

• Depending on the projects developed, the artists and theorists we host, both national and international, are invited to undertake research or production during various stages of their journey. Thus, the residency takes place across different locations, at the heart of unique contexts.

• From one hemisphere to the other, the selected artists and theorists are invited to board a ship heading towards the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. This research and wandering residency is marked by stops in island territories.

ANN STOUVENEL

How did this residency project come about?


MARCEL DINAHET
The residency project has deep roots. I’ve been drawn to the island of Ouessant for a long time. As early as the 2000s, I organized workshops, based at the ornithological center just a stone’s throw from the Créac’h lighthouse. I was teaching at the art school in Rennes, and sometimes we connected our research with the university and geography students, guided by their professor, Hervé Regnauld. The last workshop brought together teachers and students from the four art schools of Brittany. Additionally, I was interested in the films of Jean Epstein and the relationships he had established in the early 20th century with the inhabitants of Ouessant, the islands, and the ocean. In 2007 and 2008, I began a personal project (I made a series of portraits of the descendants of the actors in the film Finis terræ and had the chance to meet and get to know these people). Later, I created a video portrait series of the cliffs of Ouessant. This took time, and I had to spend time on the island. With Celia Crétien, we founded the association Finis terræ to originally organize one or two days of screenings of artists’ films related to the sea and insularity, with the help of Mayor Denis Palluel, who provided us with space. During that time, I learned that the Finistère department was restoring the semaphore to establish an artist residency. Rodolphe Rohart, who was overseeing the project for the department, offered us the use of the semaphore for two months each year, hosting two residents. This residency quickly became the project of our association.


AS
Every year, a French artist and a foreign artist come, and additional artists or theorists may join, depending on possibilities and partnerships. The residency comes with a stipend and production fees. The primary goal is to provide an environment conducive to detachment, to step away from everyday life for a set period. It seems to me that this project is quite unique and essential for creation. Can we talk about the development of a community, 10 years after the first residency? Is there a spirit that has developed around this project?


MD
I realize that a residency project takes time to develop. On the island, information circulates very quickly, and at first, the presence of an artist attracted a lot of attention and generated comments. The artists made themselves known, each with their own approach. Some have forged connections. Successive residents have built the project in this context. The discovery, the unexpected, has sometimes shaken up their practices. The elements, the extreme nature of the landscape, the possibility of being alone for a month at the semaphore, under the Créac’h lighthouse, the most powerful lighthouse in Europe facing the Atlantic Ocean at the entrance of the English Channel, places the artist in a unique position. The question is whether this positioning in this space creates a shared mindset in the artists’ practice. In my view, this planetary dimension, linked to the location, inevitably forges a connection that is probably perceptible in the artists’ practices. In this sense, we can talk about a community of artists who have passed through the semaphore.


AS
I am always curious to discover the work of each resident after their time in Ouessant. The island transforms into a field of experimentation. Its position, atmosphere, history, and very particular customs are explored by the artists and theorists who stay there. In his time, Jean Epstein filmed landscapes as portraits. During your travels, what exactly did your gaze focus on and what questions arose?


MD
In the book Jean Epstein. Cinéaste des îles (Ed. Jean Michel Place), Vincent Guignent writes: “When heading towards Brittany, Jean Epstein does not forget his intentions or his cinematic grammar. By working with events and myths, he stages an archaic and pantheistic relationship between humans and the elements: water, air, fire, earth. He experiences, at the edge of the world, the Finis terræ, a poetic writing that gives equal importance to nature and objects as to the characters. The sea is a living character, whose swell is the language, and the lighthouse optics are eyes that gaze at the ocean.” On Ouessant, the island has a dimension that it is interesting to experience physically. It stretches out to offer us a great walk in order to visit and discover it. One could say the island is an amplifier! When there’s an atmospheric depression, the wind is stronger than on the mainland, and the size of the rocks and the crashing waves become enormous. In contrast, the islanders are sheltered in their small houses. The whole island is at the mercy of the storm. Twenty-four hours later, calm may return. With each visit, I discover and see the details of the coastline in a different way. This is probably due to the variations in the simultaneity of the elements at play. This simultaneity must engage me toward new perceptions. In this engagement, I leave a lot of room for intuition, as false paths are sometimes necessary to integrate in order to try to move forward.


AS
How do the people of Ouessant meet the residents? What connections have been made?


MD
The association’s gradual anchoring on the island was initially made possible through its relationship with the Museum of Lighthouses and Signals and Delphine Kermel, the director, as well as through the Municipality, with Mayor Denis Palluel. These two people were invaluable in connecting us with the Ouessant residents (providing spaces, presenting the residents’ work to the locals, assisting in project realization, organizing meetings with the locals as part of the projects, sometimes even hosting the residents, etc.). Depending on the research areas of the residents, they have been able to create direct and varied connections with the locals. Several artists, for example, have worked with the local middle school in collaboration with the teachers.


AS
There is a real experience in this residency. Alone in a semaphore, the moment is lived, very intensely. I also think about the elements that are non-negligible.


MD
Yes, being in the position of a lookout at the interface between the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland, facing the ocean, is a great base for reflection. Spending every night under the immense sweep of the “two rotating white beams” of the Créac’h lighthouse (the title of Enrique Ramirez’s video, which has become part of the FRAC Brittany collection), being in the center of this signal that sweeps the invisible horizon, alone in the night. Amid the elements, especially during a storm, when the spray goes over the semaphore, it’s also a very particular relationship with space.


AS
Why is stepping back important? Can we speak of taking risks?


MD
As soon as you set foot on the island, it becomes very present. The relationship with the elements comes at you head-on. You receive so much information that it is often necessary to take the time to distance yourself.


AS
This context seems to be conducive for artists in search of research and retreat. What comes next for the semaphore experience, both short-term and long-term? What impact can this residency have on artistic work?


MD
Time builds this project. Year after year, the contribution of the residency to artists, in terms of their practice and approach, makes us think of this space as a vast area for reflection (insular, at the tip of the continent). The majority of artists generously give back, in various forms, the amplitude of what this landscape offers them. The association does not have a space to present the works from the residency. The Museum of Lighthouses and Signals and the Municipality help us periodically. The works have had the opportunity to be exhibited, notably recent productions: Eléonore Saintagnan at the Diagonale Center for Contemporary Art in Montreal, Gregory Buchert at Mains d’Œuvres in Saint-Ouen, Laurent Tixador at the Art & Essai Gallery at Rennes 2 University, Pauline Delwaule at the Centre Pompidou, or Enrique Ramirez at the Le Grand Café art center in Saint-Nazaire. I also notice that former residents return to continue their experiments, and others hope to come back to this piece of land in the middle of the ocean. Under its seemingly deceptive austerity, this island offers us a constant renewal of approaches.

ARTISTIC TEAM

Marcel Dinahet is an artist and former teacher at the École des beaux-arts de Rennes. He is the founder, president, and former resident of the Finis Terrae association. He is also a member of the collective Suspended Spaces and is represented in London by the Domobaal Gallery. Among his many exhibitions, La Criée - Centre d’art contemporain in Rennes held a solo exhibition for him in 2009, followed by a retrospective at the Frac Bretagne in 2019.

Ann Stouvenel is a residency manager and exhibition curator. She is the artistic director of Finis Terrae - Island Art Center, co-founder and co-president of Arts en résidence - Réseau national, and a member of the Board of Directors of CIPAC. From 2013 to 2020, she was the director of the art center and residency manager for visual arts at Mains d’Œuvres, an artistic hub in the north of Paris. From 2008 to 2012, she was the director of the workshops-residencies of the City of Pont-Aven.

MEMBRES DE L’ASSOCIATION

Guillaume Aubry
Artist, architect and former résident
•
Catherine Elkar
Outgoing director du Frac Bretagne
•
Fanny Gicquel
Artist et former résident
•
Emma-Charlotte Gobry-Laurencin
Communication Director of Galery Kamel Mennour
•
Élie Godard
Artiste, ouessantin et former résident
•
Ron Haselden
Artist et former résident
•
Sophie Kaplan
Director of La Criée, centre d’art contemporain de Rennes
•
Rodolphe Rohart
Responsable culturel
•
The members provide the association with theoretical support and invaluable assistance in the creation of the various projects led by Finis Terrae, in Ouessant and beyond.

DESIGN GRAPHIC

Gwennina Moigne

WEB DEVELOPMENT

Olivier Jonvaux

OPENINGS & ENGINEERING

Finis Terrae hosts artists, theorists, art critics, exhibition curators, or anyone whose research is situated within the visual arts field. Collaboration with researchers in hard sciences, for example, is also possible. We open our residencies to international authors and frequently work in partnership with local educational institutions and art centers both regionally and globally. Depending on the contexts and partners, we work towards developing territories. We also provide support during post-production phases in cinema. Partnerships drive exchanges and are fundamental to sharing experiences and the creations produced.

Each project is tailor-made.

RESIDENT WELCOME

ARRIVAL
Each resident is supported in advance to ensure the best possible preparation for their arrival. A welcome booklet is provided, prior to the residency contract, to help them plan their arrival. As each territory is unique and often remote, specific details are provided based on the residency periods and the particularities of the area.
•
TIMING
Depending on the requirements of the resident, the partner(s), the location(s), and the context, we strive to find the right timing for welcoming the family (children and/or spouse), just as we do for professional obligations, for residents who may have salaried jobs or other commitments. We are often required to stagger the arrivals and/or make programmatic adjustments (depending on school holidays, etc.)..
•
FAMILY
Depending on the projects, locations, and contexts, we are happy to welcome families and pregnant women.
Due to the particularly unique conditions of some of our residencies (isolated islands, sometimes without running water, at scientific bases, on boats, during storms, etc.), and specifically in environments and contexts that may be unsuitable or even hostile (remote, difficult to access, costly, cold, itinerant, dangerous, without childcare options, etc.), children, spouses, and pregnant women cannot be invited. In the opposite case, when conditions allow and we are able to accommodate, we provide the best resources to create a warm and pleasant welcome.
We request that the child(ren) be accompanied by a caregiver other than the artist, so that the resident can fully enjoy their residency and focus on their work. Furthermore, the financial costs associated with hosting families are the responsibility of the invited resident, with residencies not exceeding one month.

RESTITUTIONS: EVENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

The association organizes occasional events such as screenings, exhibitions, conferences, and meetings, in collaboration with our partners. Exhibitions have already been held in collaboration with institutions such as Passerelle – Contemporary Art Centre in Brest, Le Quartier – Contemporary Art Centre in Quimper, the Musée des Phares et Balises in Ouessant, Frac Bretagne, Diagonale – Contemporary Art Centre in Montreal, Carpintarias – Multidisciplinary Art Centre in Lisbon, Vaga – Art Centre in São Miguel (Azores, Portugal), the Saint-Briac Festival, La Galerie de Binic-Étables sur mer, SPA in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and more.
•
Three bilingual catalogs, covering the residencies and projects from 2008 to 2012, from 2013 to 2018, and from 2019 to 2022, were produced in 2013, 2019, and 2023.

SELECTION OF ARTISTS

The invited artists come from all generations and backgrounds.
It is important to note that, due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to respond to all spontaneous submissions from artists, critics, curators, or anyone working within the visual arts field who would like to send us their application.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Depending on the format and context of the residency, each resident receives fees and production costs, as well as travel expenses and per diems for long distances.
For one-month residencies, the base fee is 2000 euros for honorarium and a minimum of 1000 euros for production, though this may vary depending on specific partnerships.

REGULAR PATNERS AND FRIENDS

Collège du Ponant / Ehpad d’Ouessant / Mairie de Ouessant / Mairie de Molène / Musée des Phares et Balises - Ouessant / PNRA - Parc naturel régional d’Armorique / Domaine de Menez Meur / La route des pingouins / AJD - association du jeudi dimanche
•
EESAB - École Européenne Supérieure d’Art de Bretagne / Université de Brest - Institut Européen Universitaire de la Mer / Université Rennes 2 / KUB Kulture BretagneFrac Bretagne / La Criée - Centre contemporain de Rennes / Passerelle - Centre d’art contemporain à Brest / Ville de Rennes / O.A.O - Observatoire artistique de l’océan
•
Mondes nouveaux - Ministère de la Culture et Conservatoire du Littoral / Ateliers Médicis / DGCA - Ministère de la Culture / Ministère des Outre-mer / Préfecture et Député de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon / Association SPA - Sauvegarde du Patrimoine de l’Archipel (Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) / Préfecture des TAAF - Terres australes et arctiques françaises / DRAC La Réunion - services Arts plastiques et Musées / CNAP - Centre national des arts plastiques / Institut français
•
Cria, Centre de Résidence de Création et de Recherche artistique de Chiloé, Chili / vaga, Centre d’art à São Miguel - Açores, Portugal / Carpintarias, Centre d’art pluridisciplinaire à Lisbonne / Art inside Out - Conté de Halland, Suède

RÉSEAUX

Finis terrae - Centre d’art insulaire is member of
Arts en résidence - Réseau national : http://www.artsenresidence.fr
a.c.b. / art contemporain en bretagne : http://www.artcontemporainbretagne.org

FUNDING PARTNERS

The operation of the association is funded by the Finistère Departmental Council, the Brittany Regional Council, and the DRAC (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) of Brittany – Visual Arts and Cultural and Territorial Action Services.
For each project, we arrange tailored funding solutions.

FINIS TERRAE

Finis terrae - Centre d’art insulaire
20, la Chapelle du Mur - 29610 Plouigneau
Association Loi 1901
n° SIRET : 503 731 663 000 12