Grand Palais, Change NOW 2025
Paris, Grand Palais, April 24th-26th, 2025
Ocean Apocalypse, 2025
Artwork made from marine litter found in Nouvelle Aquitaine
(Seafood Waste, Invasive Algae, Ghosts Fishnets)
Curved Painting – 60 x 115 x 35 cm
©Eugène Riconneaus / ADAGP, Paris 2025
Petri Dishes, 2019-24 Artwork Grown in Lab
Experiments from Marine Biomass
(Seafood Waste, Macro Algae, Micro Algae, Invasive Algae)
©Eugène Riconneaus / ADAGP, Paris 2025
Ocean Apocalypse, Grand Palais
UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION CHANGE NOW
Eugène Riconneaus is a renowned French artist, designer, and pioneer in circular innovation. Raised in a fishing family along the Atlantic coast in La Rochelle, his early connection to the ocean deeply influenced his work and commitment to sustainability. At just 18 years old, Riconneaus launched his first fashion collection, crafted entirely from leftover materials—a bold move that positioned him as an advocate for circular design and a creative director for major corporations long before these ideas became mainstream words.
Throughout his career, Riconneaus has collaborated with global powerhouses like Supreme NYC, Mercedes-Benz, Dr Martens, as well as high-profile personalities such as Monica Bellucci, Pamela Anderson, and Grace Jones, His work has been showcased at prestigious institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, cementing his reputation as a multidisciplinary creative force.
In his studio, Riconneaus began exploring bio-inspired materials, crafting his own pigments and polymers by experimenting with marine biomass, such as seaweed and seafood shells. His foray into biomimicry and material science has transformed his art and design practice into a platform for environmental activism. Instead of exporting marine waste materials for international projects, Riconneaus builds local ecosystems wherever he works, blending art, culture, and sustainability. This philosophy led to the creation of ER Ocean Research, a next-generation materials company focused on marine-based innovations.
Innovatively using his own skateboard wheels as brushes, Riconneaus transformed his canvas into a reversed half-pipe shape inspired by skateboarding ramps and surfing waves. The artwork showcased is made from marine litter and recycled fishnets from his native region Nouvelle Aquitaine.
By bridging the worlds of art, design, and science, Riconneaus invites industries and individuals to rethink their relationship with the ocean, proving that creativity and sustainability can reshape the future of consumers behaviors.
Petri dish – Connection with ER Ocean Recherche
Early experiments, now pieces of history. Reinterpretation of marine materials, featuring a gradient capturing just a few of the pigments and polymers gifted by seaweed: from transparent hues to deep blue. Evolving with environmental conditions, and reflecting the beauty of natural adaptation, these petri dishes constitute a bridge between art and science.
They are part of the first chapter of Eugène Riconneaus’ journey between art, fashion and science. Born as an artist with a mission, Eugène Riconneaus found himself surrounded by petri dishes and stills, embarking on a search for meaning through matter.
The launch of ER Ocean Research follows a long period of research in biotechnology and material science. These petri dishes represent the beginning of the shift: from art to exploration, to land on an organic material innovation.
The first creation of ER Ocean Recherche has been Sei™, a nano-structured material that optimizes bio-derived polysaccharides for advanced performance. Sei™ has been used for several applications: like SeiYarn™ - a biodegradable, ocean-positive fiber; and SeiShell™ - a coated canvas mimicking leather.
At the iconic Grand Palais, during ChangeNOW 2025, ER Ocean Recherche had the opportunity to give life to a dialogue between art and science, joining forces for a more responsible world. It was a true privilege to unveil our materials in this historic venue, a symbol of innovation since the Universal Expo of 1900, and to contribute to its legacy.
In the Fashion area, we showcased our latest biomaterials, including our marine-based polymer Sei™, fiber SeiYarn™ and coated canvas SeiShell™, presented in a thoughtfully curated display, true to our aesthetic vision. Simultaneously, as part of the Art Programme, Eugène Riconneaus showcased two artworks inspired by the ocean, reflecting the nature’s transformation through human creativity.
Many visitors drawn to the Art Programme were inspired to explore our innovations in the Fashion area, and vice versa, highlighting the power of a unified narrative across disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach resonated strongly: we received significant interest from a diverse range of companies actively seeking solutions like ours – A clear signal of the urgency behind the next generation of sustainable materials. A convergence of purpose and opportunities, innovation and beauty.
