Topographies du vase

Creating a vase: from a public commission to an educational project

In 2023, the Centre national des arts plastiques (Cnap) launched the public commission “Creating a Vase”; an initiative aimed at supporting and promoting the vitality of contemporary creation through the involvement of ten designers and artists in the production of this iconic object. To mark the first exhibition of these works at la Cité du design in Saint-Étienne, the Cnap is launching an educational partnership with the École supérieure d’art et design de Saint-Étienne (Ésad Saint-Étienne).

The project invites students to design a vase in close dialogue with the Saint-Étienne region. It forms part of an interdisciplinary approach combining the teaching methodologies of the Master’s Design Objet et Design Publi(c), fostering collaboration and the exchange of practices and methods. Students are thus encouraged to develop a critical reflection on the contemporary uses of the vase, exploring its social, cultural, symbolic and ecological dimensions, whilst taking into account the local specificities of the Saint-Étienne region.

This project, supervised by Adélie Lacombe, Marie-Aurore Stiker-Métral and Cécile Van der Haegen, lecturers and designers on the Design Objet et Design Publi(c) Master’s programmes, brought together the students Aurélie Augé, Corentin Bezias, Canelle Boillot, Levin Buljubasic, Subin Chung, Jiang Hanyang, Noémie Lebellegard, Camille Mege, Erine Potier, Justine Pezet, Coralie Pyrée, Sasha Salson, Anaël Turquois, Elena Giraud and Leeagh-Marie Bouget.

Throughout the project, the students benefited from meetings and discussions with the Cnap teams as well as with some of the winners of the “Create a Vase” commission, enriching their approaches and opening up new perspectives for creation and reflection.

La Bulle, in the heart of la Platine of la Cité du design

The École supérieure d’art et design de Saint-Étienne trains the artists and designers of tomorrow. The close link between teaching and practical studio work emphasises the principle of ‘doing’, which gives Ésad Saint-Étienne its unique place within the network of art schools. ‘La Bulle’ is a space designed to showcase and make accessible the diverse nature of the work produced by the school’s students and alumni.Its programme aims to highlight the various pedagogical approaches, from foundation courses to degree programmes, including workshop sessions.

Topographies du vase, Créer un vase en territoire stéphanois - Educational partnership with the Centre national des arts plastiques and students from Ésad Saint-Étienne

29 April – 4 October 2026
Opening on 28 April 2026

La Bulle - Ésad Saint-Étienne
La Platine, Cité du design
3 rue Javelin Pagnon
42000 Saint-Étienne

Free admission

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