“O Horizon”
An exhibition by the duo Xolo Cuintle (Romy Texier & Valentin Vie Binet)
The exhibition O Horizon brings together a selection of sculptures by the duo Xolo Cuintle (Romy Texier & Valentin Vie Binet) within the botanical collections of the Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier, as part of a research and creation project supported by Mécènes du Sud.
The works on view stem from research conducted in dialogue with botanists, entomologists, gardeners, and researchers from the University of Montpellier, as well as volunteers from the Association des Amis du Jardin des Plantes. This research explores the invisible relationships, interdependencies, and biological cycles connecting the plant, animal, and microbial species found in the garden and, more broadly, shaping ecosystems. Through this exhibition, the duo examines the chains of interaction and cause-and-effect processes that shape living environments. Often imperceptible because they take place underground, at a microscopic scale, or within timescales different from our own, these processes invite us to reconsider our place within the living world.
Among the species featured is the dung beetle, a coprophagous insect that contributes to the decomposition of organic matter by burying balls of dung in the soil. This activity helps aerate and fertilize the soil, supporting plant growth and maintaining ecological balance. The sculptures trace the ramifications of this underground activity, giving form to the ecological chain that unfolds from it.
The title of the series, O Horizon, refers to the organic horizon of soil: the uppermost layer, rich in plant matter, where numerous processes of decomposition, interaction, and transformation take place. As an interface between the world above ground and the world beneath it, this layer forms a space for the circulation, recycling, and renewal of living matter.
The O Horizon exhibition cycle is supported by the patronage of the association Mécènes du Sud Montpellier-Sète-Béziers, in partnership with the Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier.
