They make the Université de Lyon: meet the RBRC Organization

Meet Rosalie Blanc and Romane Corlay, members of the RBRC organization, whose “RR11POSTCARDS” project won the Campus Arts call for projects.

How did the RBRC organization begin? What are its aims?

We started the RBRC organization as a way of exploring the flow of inspiration, creative trends and creative environments. This organization aims to study these questions through exhibitions, residencies, publications, etc. We are also working to bring young designers and artists together to create conversations, compare different environments and ideas and share different perspectives on today’s creative world.

Tell us about the “RR11POSTCARDS” project led by your organization.

“RR11POSTCARDS” is our first project. This exhibition retraces a three-month experiment we had with 23 guest artists and designers. In December 2018, we sent eleven postcards to artists to serve as a common creative background. This initiative is a way to explore creative processes and private creativity. Our exhibition showcases information that is not usually revealed but that is an integral part of our project.

Why did you choose to use postcards as a common background, as opposed to other kinds of items or writings?

The eleven postcards were designed especially for this exhibition. This felt like the right medium for us because we were attempting to find a new approach to trends and sources of inspiration, something new and different from what has already been done. Additionally, postcards are a way to cement a personal memory while allowing each person to interpret it in their own way. In the projects that were created, some participants decided to explore the postcard form itself, and its element of surprise, or by analyzing the way it conveys images.

What would you say was the advantage of taking part in the JACES days?

The JACES days were a way for us to give our project a life of its own, beyond the exhibition itself. Firstly, it brought us into a network of cultural initiatives and widened the scope and visibility of our exhibition. Additionally, we decided to organize a night opening of our exhibition on April 4 with the other organizations at HYPER 676. For the event, we invited performing artists and musicians who staged the projects. This unusual event drew a different type of audience, with many students who would not otherwise have seen the exhibition.

As a winner of the Campus Arts call for projects, what support did the IDEXLYON give you?

The IDEXLYON gave us substantial funding, which enabled us to purchase materials to stage the project exactly as we envisioned and to organize the night opening on April 4. IDEXLYON also brought us visibility and drew people to the exhibition. And being supported by IDEXLYON gave structure to our project and gave it credibility.