Alphabet of Fire: an unruly encounter between art and science

The French Ministry of Culture contacted us to promote Alphabet de Feu, our Art&Science project in collaboration with the Pprime institute (a CNRS research unit created in 2010 in partnership with ISAE-ENSMA and the University of Poitiers).

After a few exchanges, this led to the publication of four pages in issue 149 (La recherche indisciplinée, Autumn-Winter 2025) of the Ministry of Culture's Revue Culture et Recherche.

We are proud of this recognition of our work, which began in 2020 with the call for projects Recherche en théâtre et arts associés (RTAA) from the Ministry of Culture's Directorate-General for Artistic Creation. 

After more than twenty-five years of constantly renewed artistic creations and experiments, the exploration of new fuels and the desire for more virtuous practices have led us to enrich our possibilities.

Our meeting with Vincent Robin, a teacher-researcher specializing in fluid mechanics and combustion at the Pprime Institute, was a revelation. Exchange. Trust. Mutualization. Methodology. We are progressing together.

Vincent Robin's account of this experience is touching: “In this setting, the space for experimentation is infinitely freer: artists are more tolerant of uncertainty, rough drafts, trial and error, without expecting immediate, solid results. For me, it was a real breath of fresh air, a rare opportunity to give free rein to my creativity and dare to explore unusual avenues.”

This unruly encounter was made possible by the enthusiastic commitment of both parties.

The complete journal can be downloaded from the Ministry of Culture website (our article can be found on pages 143 to 146): https://www.culture.gouv.fr/thematiques/enseignement-superieur-et-recherche/la-revue-culture-et-recherche/la-recherche-indisciplinee