This artistic duo creates immersive eco-stories through pop-ups and digital landscapes

At first glance, the works of French artists Elsa Mroziewicz and Cécile Palusinski might appear rooted in whimsy—with their vivid pop-ups, poetic imagery and immersive digital layers. Yet behind this sensory-rich artistry lies a deep, enduring commitment to environmental storytelling. The duo, who first met 15 years ago while collaborating on a CD album project L’épopée de Noé, have since carved a shared path that blends visual art, augmented reality, and ecological reflection.

“My artistic career has taken shape at the crossroads of the visual arts, animated books and animation,” says Elsa. “I’m driven by the desire to create sensitive, immersive worlds, where traditional and digital techniques come together to tell stories in a new way.” Cécile, originally a writer, found herself gradually drawn into multimedia expression: “Over the last seven years I’ve broadened my work to include sound writing and projects in augmented, virtual or mixed reality, exploring new narrative formats.”

Together, they founded Studio Under the Starry Vault, a space where their mutual interests in ecology, storytelling, and technology converge. Their collaborative journey has led them across continents—from Kerala’s floating gardens to the mangroves of Brazil—fuelling projects like Arbres-Mondes, Le Baobab, and La Forêt universelle.

The pair’s latest offering, Villes Flottantes, is a multisensory reflection on the climate crisis, where imaginary floating cities symbolise hope amidst environmental collapse. These imagined worlds, “both real and poetic spaces,” are built on a foundation of field research, community engagement, and storytelling. “Our experiences in Taiwan, India, Tunisia, Brazil and the US nourished the work,” they explain, “each place bringing its own vision of ecological issues.”

Villes Flottantes, born after much research, encounters with scientists, communities, and ocean protection associations, is a large-scale sound tableaux in augmented reality that allow you to discover innovations, with the underlying idea of creating bridges between art and science.

Their creative process balances art with activism—though not in the conventional sense. “We see art as a form of poetic activism,” they affirm. “Rather than asserting a message, we prefer to open up sensitive spaces, arousing curiosity, provoking emotion and reflection.” For them, art is not a blunt instrument, but a gentle provocation—one that lingers, transforms, and perhaps nudges its viewers toward action.

Villes Flottantes will be on display at the exhibition Festival of Ideas: We Are The Ocean.

Open to all. From May 10 to May 25. 10 am to 6 pm. At Alliance Française of Madras, Nungambakkam.

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