ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

After School Biennale in Montpellier Explores Ambivalence of the Present

exhibition · 2026-04-23

The 2022 edition of the After School biennale in Montpellier, curated by Étienne Hatt and Romain Mathieu, presents works by young artists across three venues: MO.CO. Panacée, Espace Dominique Bagouet, and Musée Fabre. The exhibition reflects a fragile optimism mixed with melancholy, shaped by multiple crises and a post-confinement generation. At MO.CO. Panacée, works are grouped thematically as perspectives on the world, questioning how to exist within it, balancing critique of everyday life with ecological consciousness. At Espace Dominique Bagouet, the focus is on process, with works created on-site or in transit, opening art to fields like production and exchange. At Musée Fabre, monographic displays emphasize medium and form, hybridizing painting, photography, and drawing in response to pervasive digital imagery. The biennale aims to capture the spirit of the times while offering diverse readings of contemporary artistic concerns.

Key facts

  • The biennale is titled 'Après l'école' and is organized by artpress.
  • It takes place in Montpellier, France, in 2022.
  • Curators are Étienne Hatt and Romain Mathieu.
  • Three venues: MO.CO. Panacée, Espace Dominique Bagouet, and Musée Fabre.
  • The exhibition explores ambivalence, optimism, and melancholy in the present.
  • Works at MO.CO. Panacée are grouped thematically as worldviews.
  • Espace Dominique Bagouet treats works as processes and laboratories.
  • Musée Fabre presents monographic exhibitions focusing on medium and form.

Entities

Artists

  • Étienne Hatt
  • Romain Mathieu

Institutions

  • artpress
  • MO.CO. Panacée
  • Espace Dominique Bagouet
  • Musée Fabre

Locations

  • Montpellier
  • France

Sources