The program

Permachange is a project funded by the ANR, which will run from 2026 to 2029 at three sites in Northern Europe:

• Arctic Sweden, Abisko / Base de Recherche Scientifique d’Abisko
• Svalbard, Ny-Ålesund / Base de recherche franco-allemande AWIPEV
• Groenland, Ilulissat / Patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO

It focuses on advanced modeling of the thermo-hydro-mechanical dynamics of permafrost. Permafrost is permanently frozen soil at depth, covering a quarter of the land in the Northern Hemisphere. Under the effect of global warming, it is undergoing rapid and widespread thawing, causing major impacts in the Arctic, both on the environment (e.g., water resources) and on societies (e.g., destabilization of infrastructure). These impacts of permafrost thawing are expected to generate considerable additional costs for maintaining essential human activities, potentially reaching several hundred billion euros by the end of the century. In addition, permafrost thawing is likely to trigger critical climate feedbacks. Therefore, anticipating permafrost thawing through numerical simulations is essential to ensure the resilience of Arctic environments, societies, and activities, while controlling the associated costs.

The artists

Dominique Blais weaves connections between the visual and auditory elements of our environment. Working at the limits of perception, he explores the relationship between the visible and the invisible through installations that examine our relationship to place and memory. The key elements of his approach are: the sensory and physical perception of our environment, the relationship to the invisible and the inaudible, and the materialization of time.

Nicolas Floc’h is a sailor, diver, artist, and professor at EESAB—the Rennes School of Arts. His work lies at the intersection of art and science, blending artistic practice with documentary work; his projects are constantly evolving. They explore the present, disappearance, and regeneration. Nicolas Floc’h explores underwater landscapes, biodiversity, and climates through an ecological lens. His artistic practice includes a focus on raising awareness of the climate threats facing various ecosystems.

Carola Grahn combines photography, text, sculpture, and sound in site-specific installations that explore power structures, politics, and identity. Her Sámi heritage—the Sámi are an indigenous people of Lapland who were colonized in the 19th century by Norway, Sweden, and Finland—is a central source of inspiration for her work; she is thus interested in the perception of nature, social roles, and human relationships, and integrates Sámi culture and politics into her practice.

Laure Winants is a researcher and field artist. She sets up her studio in the heart of the Arctic ice and fosters a dialogue between art, the natural sciences, and technology. The techniques she employs are specifically designed to capture the optical and light phenomena of the environments she explores. In this way, she makes this environmental data tangible and perceptible, highlighting the interdependence of ecosystems and questioning humanity’s place within them.

The artistic aspect

The PERMACHANGE program brings together three French laboratories: Geosciences Environment Toulouse, Processes and Engineering in Materials Mechanics, and Navier. PERMACHANGE interacts with international scientific partners (Alfred Wegener Institute, Arctic Danish Technical University, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat) and with the cneai = in the context of developing artistic research hand in hand with scientific action.

In terms of artistic action, the idea is to create interactions between scientists and artists for the production of an artistic research project and its dissemination to the widest possible audience in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Two awareness-raising actions are planned as part of the project:
= in 2026 and 2027, research based on reciprocity between guest artists and partner scientists
= in 2028, an exhibition of the research and artistic productions developed in connection with the scientific project.

Mobility programs are being prepared as part of PERMACHANGE. They will take place in Abisko in Arctic Sweden and Ilulissat, Greenland. Ilulissat is the third largest city in the territory after Nuuk and Sisimiut, located on the west coast of Greenland in Disko Bay, with a population of 4,670 in 2020. The town of Ilulissat is known for being home to the fjord where the world’s most impressive icebergs flow into the sea. The fjord has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

Schedule and milestones

PERMACHANGE will involve four artists throughout the duration of the project, from early 2026 to early 2030.
The first mobility phase is being prepared for summer 2026 at the Swedish Arctic site, focusing on scientific research.
A second mobility phase is being prepared for summer 2027 in Greenland, focusing on scientific production.
A mid-project highlight will take place in 2028, including a meeting with the public and an exhibition on the scientific, artistic, and cultural project at the Maison Fleuve.
A study day and project conclusion will take place in Paris in early 2030.

The partners

ENSAM, École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers
ENPC, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées
CNRS, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique
Partenaires européens : Alfred Wegener Institute, Arctic Danish Technical University, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat