VEIL OF NATURE – Reflecting on the conservation of the living world

To mark the publication of VEIL OF NATURE which explores the potential resurrection of an extinct plant from Charles Darwin’s herbarium, artist Justine Blau — together with the National Museum of Natural History, brings together a diverse group of national and
international speakers to reflect on conservation in times of crisis.

Through a transdisciplinary lens, they will explore themes of biodiversity, loss, preservation, and the many ways we perceive the living world.

Event in French and English (with simultaneuous interpretation)

PROGRAMME

9:00  ARRIVAL

9:15 – 09:30 GREETING WORDS

9:30 – 10:15 VEIL OF NATURE – PROJET AND PUBLICATION PRESENTATION
Presentation by Justine BLAU – visual artist & curator

10:15 – 11:15  DECLINE AND EXTINCTION OF SPECIES: WHAT DO WEKNOW EXACTLY?

Presentation by Axel HOCHKIRCH – curator for Ecology at the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg (PhD)

11:15 – 11:30  COFFEE BREAK

11:30 – 12:30 PRATIQUES CURATORIALES ET/OU SYMBIOGENÈSE
Presentation by Anna-Sophie SPRINGER – cultural theorist, educator, curator, and publisher. Co-founder and director of K. Verlag (PhD) and Etienne TURPIN – philosopher and the general editor at K. Verlag (PhD)

12:30 – 13:30 LUNCH (buffet)

13:30 – 14:00 THE IUCN RED LIST OF VASCULAR PLANTS IN LUXEMBOURG AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Presentation by Guy COLLING – head of research unit Population biology and Evolution at the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg

14:00 – 15:00 LIFE, EVOLUTION AND US – WHY DO WE HAVE IT ALL WRONG?
Presentation by Pierre-Henri GOUYON – professor Emeritus at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, Agricultural Engineer, Doctor of Science

15:00  – 15:45     PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES – APPROACHES OF THE NATIONAL BOTANICAL CONSERVATORY OF BREST
Presentation by Catherine GAUTIER – Head of ex-situ conservation at the National Botanical Conservatory of Brest

15:45  – 16:15 OBSERVATION WALK BENEATH THE PAVEMENT with Thierry HELMINGER – curator for Botany at the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg

16:15 – 16:30 COFFEE BREAK

16:30 – 17:45 REFLECTING ON THE CONSERVATION OF LIFE
Conversation with Pierre-Henri GOUYON, Catherine GAUTIER, Anna-Sophie SPRINGER, Etienne TURPIN, Axel HOCHKIRCH.
Moderation : Justine BLAU & Patrick MICHAELY, Director of the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg

17:45 – 18:00 FILM PROJECTION OF THE MAGICIAN: RESURRECTION, LEVITATION, CHLOROPYLE
Book sales  & signatures