A new exhibition to promote heritage

In October, the Regional Natural Park opened a new exhibition highlighting the industrial and artisanal heritage of its territory.

In the beginning was a study

Between 2017 and 2021, a study of industrial and artisanal heritage linked to natural resources was carried out as part of a partnership between the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Heritage and Inventory department.

Six hundred sites were documented and visited to assess their current state. While more than half are in ruins or have disappeared, or are only indicated by a place name on a map, nearly the other half are in fairly good condition, and some are well-maintained and still in use. One hundred and thirty sites, selected for their historical significance and state of preservation, underwent in-depth study to determine their construction and activity periods. In addition to public archives, private archives (family or business) proved invaluable sources.

Following this work, and still in partnership with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the study was published in the regional collection "Visages du patrimoine" (Faces of Heritage), available from Éditions du Festin: "PNR Périgord-Limousin: Patrimoine industriel et artisanal" (Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park: Industrial and Craft Heritage). Around thirty sites, the vast majority of which are open to the public, are featured in this publication.

A heritage to discover in photos and models

To further promote this long-term project, the Park has chosen to create a photographic exhibition of these artisanal sites. Designed to travel throughout the region, it consists of 14 panels that present a summary of the main types of industrial heritage in the Périgord-Limousin region: mills, forges, tile works, sawmills, quarries, and factories.

Philippe Ug, a renowned artist and paper engineer , was selected to create six models to accompany these kakemonos. A creator of screen-printed pop-up books, Philippe Ug has authored over thirty titles since the 2000s. For the exhibition, he created pop-up models based on selected photographs to represent the historical craft activity of the Park. His foldable models will also be excellent educational tools for introducing these themes to a younger audience.

Inauguration of the exhibition in Limoges

The exhibition was presented for the first time during the Study Days of the Regional Heritage and Inventory Service. The theme chosen for the 2025 edition of this event was "Art in the Factory", with the objective of comparing historical and heritage approaches with those of contemporary creation as well as artist residencies in companies in the regional territory. It was therefore entirely appropriate that the Park's exhibition, produced with the financial and scientific support of the Heritage and Inventory Service, could be included in the program. Presented at the Limoges Regional Hotel, it was able to gather the impressions of the participants in the study days, and won unanimous approval for the beauty of its models in particular!

Following this inauguration in Limoges, the exhibition will be toured throughout the Park. Municipalities, communities of municipalities, or local organizations wishing to host the exhibition are invited to contact the Park at the following address: info@pnrpl.com