Public Space Arts Company — Marseille

Founded in 2019 in Marseille by visual artist and theatre director Maëva Longvert, Le Polymorphe is a public space arts company based at the Cité des Arts de la Rue in Marseille.

Working at the intersection of visual arts, performance, scenography and citizen participation, the company develops transdisciplinary projects combining monumental installations, performative walks, textiles, video and sound creation.

At the heart of its practice lies an exploration of how to create together: involving participants in the artistic process, gathering stories, sharing experiences and fostering new relationships between artworks, people and the spaces they inhabit.

Le Polymorphe uses public space as a site for questioning contemporary social, political and environmental issues, including women’s presence in public space, the disappearance of living species and climate change. Deeply rooted in Marseille, the company develops strong local connections through encounters, collaborations and artistic partnerships, while also engaging in national and international networks.

The company is a member of a European Erasmus+ KA1 consortium led by Samba Résille and is also part of the IN SITU European network, dedicated to artistic creation in public space. In 2026, Le Polymorphe was selected for the Erasmus+ KA2 programme and awarded the PAIR grant from the Institut français for POP UP, a project led between Marseille and Berlin in collaboration with Claire Chaulet.

A collective endeavour

Maëva Longvert works alongside Cleo Andreou in administration, Elisa Desbrosses in production, and Samira Boukhnous and Pépita Car as artistic collaborators, among others.

Le Polymorphe warmly thanks its 78 members, its active board of directors, chaired by Claire Royer, and all the participants who have been deeply involved in its projects over the past few years.

The company also expresses its support for the ongoing high school student movements and for the collective initiatives that foster participation, solidarity and the right to speak out in public space.

Artistic projects

2026 — SCÉLÉRATES,  in situ underwater installation

A new iteration of Scélérates, presented as part of the IN programme of the Chalon dans la rue festival, extending the company’s artistic research into rising water levels and environmental challenges.

2025 — SCÉLÉRATES, In situ art in public space

A participatory installation combining textiles, video and sound, composed of 700 textile jellyfish, underwater videos filmed with participants, and soundtracks drawn from personal testimonies.

2023 — EN VOL

A monumental artwork made of fluorescent adhesive-tape bird collages displayed in public spaces. Bearing stickers printed with statements from people recounting moments of resistance, these figures form a collective anti-monument paying tribute to stories of resistance.

2022 — Ver en la noche

An adaptation of Nyctalope in Chihuahua, Mexico, developed in dialogue with local social and economic contexts.

2021 — NYCTALOPE

A nocturnal journey through public space led by women and marginalised people, exploring the tensions encountered when moving through the city at night and questioning who has the right to occupy public space. Created in July 2021 as part of the IN programme of the Chalon dans la rue festival, the piece has since toured in France and internationally, including in Finland.