Gouache sur papier teinté représentant le dégrad de Maripasoula, point de départ pour l’Amazonie et le Haut-Maroni

Exhibition

[FINISHED] Tropical Autumn - Travelogue in Guyana

From 19 October to 28 November 2022

The exhibition is now over.

This autumn, the garden’s Grandes Serres (big greenhouses) are taking you to Guyana! Discover the biodiversity of the Amazon Forest through the drawings of two naturalist artists.

For this 2nd edition of "Tropical Autumn", immerse yourself in the Guyanese travel diary of two artists with a passion for natural sciences: Delphine Zigoni and Julien Norwood.

For a month and a half, the tropical greenhouse turns into a field of exploration in the Amazon rainforest: From Julien Norwood's botanical drawings to Delphine Zigoni's depictions of the Guyanese landscape, their drawings reveal the multiple facets of this unique and abundant natural environment.

Mirror sketch books, page showing the red palulu. On the left: Heliconia spathocircinata, oil pastel on tinted paper. On the right: a sketch sheet by Julien Norwood, with different species of red palulu, Heliconia pendula, H. spathocircinata, H. acuminata, H. bihai, H. psittacorum. Watercolour, inks and pencil. © D. Zigoni, J. Norwood - MNHN © D. Zigoni, J. Norwood - MNHN
© MNHN - D. Zigoni, J. Norwood

Sketch sheet of different species of Clusiaceae, genera Visma, Clusia and Symphonia. Watercolour, inks and pencil. © J. Norwood - MNHN
© MNHN - J. Norwood

Vanilla, mangroves, palm trees and more: the artists share their encounters with eight typical plants of this region, and reveal the initiatives undertaken by scientists and inhabitants to protect biodiversity and promote traditional knowledge.

The artists will also be offering several activities during the exhibition: botanical drawing lessons and an introduction to the profession of naturalist illustrator. Remember to book your places online.

Share your points of view on the exhibition with the hashtag #AutomneTropical

Follow the Museum and the artists on Instagram : Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle - Julien Norwood - Delphine Zigoni.

The artists

Julien Norwood has honed his knowledge of flora and fauna through countless hours spent drawing out in nature. A renowned naturalist, he has worked on 90 projects (publishing, exhibition) on biodiversity awareness as an author and illustrator.

I FAMILIARISED MYSELF WITH THE DIVERSITY OF AMAZONIAN FLORA BY MAKING SKETCHES IN THE FIELD. WHILE DRAWING DETAILS OF A FLOWER TO GRASP ITS IDENTIFYING FEATURES, I DISCOVERED A WORLD OF EXTRAORDINARY SHAPES AND COLOURS.

Inquisitive by nature, Delphine Zigoni uses her artistic skills (drawing, graphic design and museography) to popularise science and help spread knowledge, where she considers each subject as a new world to explore.

EVEN WHEN DRAWING IS YOUR PROFESSION, YOU RARELY HAVE TIME TO EXPLORE NEW ARTISTIC FIELDS. THESE LONG TRIPS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO DISCOVER AND TRY OUT NEW TECHNIQUES, NEW WAYS OF SEEING AND TRANSPOSING THE WORLD AROUND ME.