FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2025
Milène Guermont Named Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite by the French Republic
New York, NY —Artists Talk on Art (ATOA) proudly celebrates our friend and featured artist Milène Guermont, who has been officially appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by decree of the President of France. The insignia will be presented by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Sustainability, on September 17, 2025, at the Ministry of Ecological Transition in Paris.
This honor recognizes Milène’s pioneering achievements at the intersection of art and engineering—including her invention of Polysensual Concrete, a responsive and tactile material that transforms public space into interactive experience.
Among her landmark works:
PHARES, a luminous sculpture at Place de la Concorde, Paris, pulses in sync with the heartbeat of visitors—and the Eiffel Tower.
INSTANTS, a D-Day monument in ultra-high-performance concrete at Utah Beach.
MAISON GUERMONT, an inhabitable total artwork built in collaboration with over 120 artisans.
Milène recently published her first monograph, PLEASE TOUCH (TOUCHEZ SVP), featuring 30 contributors and over 400 illustrations. The book was launched this summer at Artcurial and will be followed by a lecture and signing at Fondation Louis Vuitton on October 3.
“Milène is one of the rare artists whose work fuses poetic sensitivity with scientific precision. This honor is richly deserved.”
— Chennie Huang, President, Artists Talk on Art