The improbable Chair

The Emancipation of the Grapefruit
by Pauline Clocher, Clara Riviere, Pierre Thooris, Valentine de Dreuille,
Improbable, Paris, 2015

The Improbable Chair by Galereis Lafayette is all about bringing together artists and entrepreneurs, linking art with business in a new way.

It supports creative practices by connecting artists with entrepreneurs, business with cultural institutions, and artistic creation with business strategy. It encourages everyone to embrace the “Improbable” to think like creators. Thourgh a unique method called “Art Thinking”, developed at ESCP, the Galeries Lafayette group and ESCP offer a way to support, encourage, and spread the act of creation.

THE Chair’s PATRON

“ Drawing on the heritage of Galeries Lafayette, which was always associated with creators, designers or artists; as well as their work. Our Lafayette Anticipations Art Foundation was born of the conviction that the pulse of a society can be felt by its artists. Today, we are delighted to be associated with the excellence of ESCP Business school, which was the first to theorize a practice of creation through Art Thinking. Our world needs creation, and we'll do everything we can to support it, facilitate access to it and disseminate its practice. “

Guillaume Houzé
PRESIDENT OF LAFAYETTE ANTICIPATIONS

Le cercle des improbabilistes

By joining the Cercle des Improbabilistes, you are more than a supporter. You become a builder of possibility, helping reimagine how we learn, create, and act in the world.

Your support fuels projects that transform the lives of thousands of students and professionals worldwide.

Through your involvement, you will:

  • Champion innovative approaches that reshape education.

  • Foster connections between art, science, and business.

  • Support groundbreaking research for the common good..

  • Showcase French creativity on the global stage.

the chair’s OBJECTIVES

The Chair has two major complementary goals:

  • Support scientific research to better understand creative practices

  • Teach the Art Thinking method and spread the Improbable pedagogy worldwide

Art Thinking not only helps participants unleash their innate creative potential; it also promotes collaboratio, listening, leadership, negociation, and constructive dialogue. Participants learn to question themselves, leverage failure, establish partnerships, and develop an agile approach to uncertainty.

THREE AREAS OF ACTIVITY

    • Scientific publications

    • Doctoral thesis and final dissertations

    • Improbable Siesta: seminar bringing together researchers, artists, and experts in creation

    • Spreading the Improbable method at ESCO and beyond

    • Designing initial training in Art Thinking

    • Training Art Thinking instructors

    • Conferences and workshops on Art Thinking

    • Exhibitions and Improbable openings

    • Improbable residencies (artist / scientist / entrepreneur triads)

cONTACT

“ This Chair is the story of an encounter between visionary creators who understood early on how future generations of students and entrepreneurs woudl need artistic and creative practices to prepare for the world of tomorrow. Through this collaboartion, ESCP is grateful to the Galeries Lafayette Groupe for opening up new playgrounds for unprecedented and improbable creations! “

Pascale Pernet
DIRECTOR OF CHAIRS ABD CORPORATE SPONSORING ESCP