For her exhibition Ce que la terre retient at Passage Sainte-Croix, Le Méhauté brings together a number of brand-new works connected to Nantes — created from various peatlands, market garden and forest soils — alongside earlier works resulting from research and past experiments with soils.
Poetic, philosophical, scientific, and political, Le Méhauté’s work explores the interactions between humans and their environment.
Many of her pieces are titled Négociations, evoking both humanity’s ongoing dialogue with nature and the sculptor’s own engagement with materials.
Peat, coconut fiber, stone, cork, clay, beeswax, and mycelium form the substance of her work. Through research residencies and investigations close to home, she examines soils – their composition, history, and future.
While celebrating the richness of soils, the exhibition also addresses the threats they face. One example is Négociation 95 – Décoloniser les imaginaires (“Decolonizing Imaginaries – 2018), made from materials found at an illegal dumping site in Normandy:
“Among various discarded materials: motor oil pooled at the foot of a mound. The resulting form evokes a bathtub, a feeding trough, a watering basin, and a sarcophagus all at once. The soil containing the oil has cracks. Ready to give way, it is thirsty. This sculpture reflects the depletion of land and the scarcity of water.”
Caroline Le Méhauté was born in 1982. She lives and works in Brussels.
Artist’s Instagram account
INTERSTELLAR, Ré-imaginer la Terre
See Caroline Le Méhauté’s work in the exhibition at the Hab Galerie.
Further information
Passage Sainte-Croix, Rue de la Baclerie, 44000 Nantes
How to get there?
Parking(s) nearby: Parking Feydeau, Parking Decré-Bouffay, Parking Baco-LU 2 côté CHU, Parking Baco-LU 1 côté gare, Parking Commerce, Parking Tour Bretagne, Parking Hôtel Dieu
Self-service bicycles: Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Bouffay (n°20), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Moulin (n°4), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Strasbourg (n°3), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Commerce (n°30), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Château (n°50), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Verdun (n°48), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Boucherie (n°8), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Ricordeau (n°38), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Hôtel de ville (n°2), Station Naolib Vélo libre-service Place du cirque (n°6)
Open today from 10h00 to 19h00.
From july 4th 2026 to september 6th 2026
from 10h00 to 19h00 on monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, sunday
In the event of very high temperatures:
For everyone’s comfort and safety, some sites are likely to temporarily close. Decisions to close venues will be taken at the last minute so as to keep them open as long as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience if the site is closed during your visit. Don’t hesitate to check if other stops are open nearby (parks, museums, reflecting pool, etc.): Just follow the green line!
Free entry
