In Celtic mythology, the Other World is the world of the divinities and the site of knowledge. It is always reached by water: by crossing a river, going to a fountain or taking to the sea. It is inhabited by various characters, such as the salmon of knowledge, the only being capable of crossing both fresh and salt water.
Tombolo or the Other world is a project designed for the site of “Landes de Ploumanac’h”, at Perros-Guirec, in Brittany. The aim is to revive a Celtic mythological narrative through a number of activities: an installation on the customs officers’ path, a sound trail, a walk led by the coastal guards and mediation objects, a tale, a scenography and a tide clock.
The first installation is entitled the treshold to the “Other world”. It consists of two carved wooden steles topped with salmon, one returning from the river, the other from the ocean.
The steles were made by Pascal Harnois (woodturner) and Gaël Le Thellec (woodcarver).
(Sound trail only in french)
1. Le seuil de l’Autre monde
par Marielle Brie, historienne de l’art.
2. L’Autre monde : le lieu de la connaissance
par Marie Le Scanve, garde animatrice à la Maison du littoral des Landes de Ploumanac’h.
3. Le nom des lieux
par Stéphanie Stoll, habitante de Ploumanac’h et locutrice de breton.
4. Les landes de Ploumanac’h
par Marie-Annick Guillou, habitante de Ploumanac’h.
5. Le bourg de Ploumanac’h
par Yvon Tilly, habitant de Ploumanac’h.
6. Les oiseaux
par Pascal Provost, conservateur de la réserve naturelle nationale des Sept-Îles pour la Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux.
7. Sous l’eau
par Jean-François Joly, plongeur.
8. Les fonds marins
par Helène Le Quéau, plongeuse.
9. La pêche
par Mathieu Monchoix, marin-pêcheur.
10. Les cérémonies
par Josette Le Guluch, habitante de Ploumanac’h.
11. Le patrimoine architectural
par Michèle Le Bourg, habitante de Ploumanac’h.
12. Le conte Tombolo
par Marielle Brie, autrice du conte.
As part of the “Tombolo or the Other World project”, an activity designed in collaboration with the coast guards at the Maison du littoral in Ploumanac’h: the Other World walk. This 2-hour walk is based on the story Tombolo and is punctuated by several stops where the guide uses specially-designed objects, such as the animal perception glasses, the seabed cane, the chimera volvelle and the rock ladder.
The animal perception glasses, the seabed cane and the rock ladder were made by Pascal Harnois.
When the mediation objects are not in use, they are displayed in a showcase in the Maison du littoral. The sound trail can be accessed via QR code in the Maison du littoral and on a printed edition.
The printed edition was designed in collaboration with Audrey Templier, graphic designer.
The installation features a tide clock. This is a reinterpretation of a tide indicator. The wooden object, carved by Gaël Le Thellec, shows which species are visible according to the tide.
The installation ends with a representation of the Fountain of Knowledge, in the form of a cobbled path surrounded by oak and hazel trees.
2021-2023
Tombolo or the Other world is a project initiated by Isabelle Daëron, in association with Studio Idaë, the LAB/Libre Artbître association, which is recognised as being in the public interest, and Marielle Brie, an art historian. It was produced as part of the Mondes Nouveaux programme run by the French Ministry of Culture.
Thanks to the Mondes Nouveaux programme, and in particular to Caroline Naphegyi, the Conservatoire du littoral and its Rivages Bretagne delegation, the Mairie de Perros-Guirec
Thanks to all the people who took part in the interviews: Louis Brigand, Marie-Annick Guillou, Jean-François Joly, Samuel Jouon, Gaëtan Kerdudo, Ronan Le Lous, Mathieu Monchoix, Michèle Le Bourg, Josette Le Guluch, Quentin Le Hervé, Marie Le Scanve, Helène Le Quéau, Pascal Provost, Stéphanie Stoll, Yvon Tilly;
Thanks to the craftsmen: Pascal Harnois, Gaël Le Thellec, Xavier Bonsergent who made the wooden objects.
Many thanks to Marie Le Scanve, guard animator at the Maison du littoral, without whom this project would not have been possible.
Thanks to Marielle Brie who imagined the tale "Tombolo ou l'Autre monde" and wrote the introductory texts for the soundtracks; Jean-Christophe Borderie (Ille-medias) who produced the soundtracks;
The Studio Idaë team: Pauline Avrillon, Jonathan Roditi, Angèle Fourteau, Elizabeth Hong, Simon Frajer, Léa Michielin and Thibaut Caudal (interns).
Photo credits: Anne-Emmanuelle Thion, except 4th and 5th photo by Léa Michielin.
Home office: 17 rue Dombasle 75015 Paris
Workshop: 111bis rue Molière 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine
contact@studioidae.com
A multidisciplinary creative agency founded by Isabelle Daëron in 2018, Studio Idaë arose from a reflection on the use of natural flows — water, air, light — in public space.
The Studio has, ever since, developed an approach based on research and education, focusing on the urban, environmental and societal challenges of the ecological transition.
Driven by a poetical & committed team of designers, Studio Idaë applies its refined, assertive graphic signature to projects of various scales. From urban devices to mediation objects and supports, or scenography, the agency’s protean contributions always strive at others — their needs, their desires, and their evolution.
The agency operates within a network of local companies and collaborates with dedicated craftspeople to adapt to the specific characteristics of each territory. Together, they work towards the most appropriate and relevant response — between narration and mediation.
Pauline Avrillon, product designer graduated from École Boulle joined the studio in 2017, and works on urban design projects. Angèle Fourteau, product designer graduated from ECAL works on set design projects since 2022. Eléna Hervé Caro joined the team in 2023 as office manager.
Graphic design : Audrey Templier
Web development : Francis Josserand
