Plants + Art: Bringing Biodiversity into the Classroom

Plant d'Avenir participates in artist Marie Sirgue's vision, connecting local history, plants, and biodiversity by integrating them directly into classrooms.

Project Overview:

1% Artistic Program - Le Barp Middle & High School (33)

This collaborative artistic intervention centers around the Great Capricorn beetle, an emblematic insect of the local forest ecosystem, chosen as the protective spirit of the site. The artists explore relationships between architecture, the natural environment, and local heritage, particularly the traditional practice of resin tapping (gemmage).

The project actively involves the educational community through artist residencies, workshops, and exchange sessions, fostering participation and interest among students, staff, and visitors. The goal is to create an artistic dynamic that endures over time, reflecting the evolution of the site and raising awareness about environmental importance, while supporting the institution's educational mission.

Read more → https://www.zebra3.org

Plant d'Avenir's Collaboration with Marie Sirgue

Plant d'Avenir's intervention was created in collaboration with artist Marie Sirgue.

For this project, she chose to repurpose traditional resin collection pots (pots à gemme), celebrating their heritage and beauty while redirecting them toward a new purpose with fresh intention.

"The pot à gemme is a terracotta vessel designed to collect resin flowing from tapped pine trees. Today, resin is no longer harvested in the Landes region, and the pot is no longer produced, except by one company located in Le Barp. My artistic desire is to integrate this object into the school cafeteria's tableware and, through its daily presence and new use, to explore diverse domains such as: geology, biology, ceramics, gastronomy, local heritage...

To envision art as a pretext for encountering and intersecting disciplines, people, and generations."

— Marie Sirgue

Learn more → https://dda-nouvelle-aquitaine.org/La-gemme-et-le-pot

Two Uses for the Resin Pots:

1. In the Cafeteria

Some pots will be placed in the cafeteria, accompanied by six specific recipes designed not only for their nutritional benefits but also for their texture—evoking the resin that originally filled these pots.

2. Living Classrooms

Sixty pots will be filled with soil, sand, and perlite, and will host six varieties of drought-resistant plants (our plants are going on a journey!), requiring watering only every three months. These plants will accompany students in all classrooms throughout the year.

Why This Matters

This is a fascinating approach to integrating plants, biodiversity, and local history into schools while requiring minimal additional effort from teachers. Everything that plant d'Avenir loves! :)

Key benefits of this collaboration:

• Educational integration – Plants become daily companions in learning spaces
• Low maintenance – Drought-tolerant species need watering only every 3 months
• Cultural connection – Repurposed traditional objects link past and present
• Biodiversity awareness – Students engage with living ecosystems year-round
• Minimal teacher burden – Sustainable design requires little extra work
• Artistic vision – Beauty and function merge in educational spaces

The Six Drought-Tolerant Varieties

The plants selected for this project are specifically chosen for their:

• Extreme drought tolerance (3-month watering intervals)
• Ability to thrive in classroom conditions
• Educational value and visual interest
• Resilience and low maintenance requirements
• Year-round presence and structure

These hardy perennials will demonstrate to students how plants adapt to challenging conditions, mirroring the resilience required in both nature and education.

Art as a Bridge Between Disciplines

This project exemplifies how art can serve as a meeting point for:

• History – Traditional resin tapping heritage
• Biology – Plant adaptation and drought resistance
• Geology – Soil composition and local ecosystems
• Ceramics – Traditional terracotta craftsmanship
• Gastronomy – Texture, nutrition, and cultural food practices
• Environmental science – Biodiversity and sustainability

By bringing these elements together in a single artistic intervention, students experience interdisciplinary learning in their daily environment.

Follow the Project

Watch the evolution of this exciting collaboration:

→ Follow on Instagram: @zebra3_buy_sellf

→ Project website: zebra3.org

Interested in Similar Collaborations?

Plant d'Avenir is passionate about projects that integrate drought-tolerant plants into educational, artistic, and community spaces. If you're interested in bringing resilient plants and biodiversity into your school, institution, or artistic project, contact us to explore possibilities.

Together, we can create living spaces that educate, inspire, and endure.