Considering video games as a major medium, she focuses on their extraordinary immersive properties, and seeks to push back their limits.
The outcome, crafted through the use of digital tools, results in CGI images and films, Interactive experiences, Virtual and Augmented reality.
As an artist, her personal work is consistently being shown worldwide in cultural institutions, galleries and museums, from Tokyo to New York.
As an art director, she works on commissioned projects for clients in the Luxury, Fashion, Culture & Music fields.
Mélanie also teaches video game theory at Écal in Lausanne, virtual reality at Beaux-Arts de Paris and frequently conducts lectures and workshops in an academic setting.
SELECTED CLIENTS + COLLABORATORS
LVMH
CARTIER
CHANEL
JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER
DOLCE&GABBANA
ORVEDA
VOGUE CZECHOSLOVAKIA
TÉTIER BIJOUX
UBISOFT
GROUPE MAZARINE
COTY
DIXON
JENNIFER CARDINI
AGAR AGAR
FAERIES RECORDS
IKEUCHI
LVMH
CARTIER
CHANEL
JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER
DOLCE&GABBANA
ORVEDA
VOGUE CZECHOSLOVAKIA
TÉTIER BIJOUX
UBISOFT
GROUPE MAZARINE
COTY
DIXON
JENNIFER CARDINI
AGAR AGAR
FAERIES RECORDS
IKEUCHI
SHOWS + SCREENINGS
UPCOMING
• Final Girl, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris
• Me and who?, Le port des créateurs, Toulon
• Open factory, Le Centquatre, Paris
2024
• HEK Special Guest, Liste Art Fair Basel
• Netflix and chill, New Galerie, Paris
• Anticipation Festival, La Gaité Lyrique, Paris
• Linoleum Animation Festival, Kyiv
• NIFF Extanded, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
• Night of ideas, Villa Albertine, Jersey city
• Distraction - Gaming Session, Confort Mental, Paris
• MAX3MIN Festival, Milan
• Biennale NOVA_XX, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris
• Vivre l'œuvre - Voyage aux frontières de l'art immersif contemporain, Musée d'art de Pully
• Néo-matérialités, Le Cube Garges, Garges-lès-Gonesse
2023
• The House of Pain, New Galerie, Paris
• DOQUMENTA, Querétaro
• Competencia VR, Festival de Cortos, Bogotá
• Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Bucheon
• Transmoderna, Artsdistrict Brooklyn, New York
• Anidox, Viborg Animation Festival, Viborg
• Festival européen du film fantastique, Strasbourg
• Nuit blanche, Le Consulat Voltaire, Paris
• Animafest Zagreb, Zagreb
• Jeden svět, International human rights film festival, Prague
• It’s dangerous to go alone!, Galerie Edouard Manet, Gennevilliers
• Festival Côté Court, Pantin
• Animation First, New York
• International Film festival, Rotterdam
• Smart Fipa Doc, Biarritz
• Prenons rendez-vous, Meyrin
• Issue 5 Group Show, Studio Magazine, Zurich
2022
• La Biennale di Venezia (Mostra), Immersive selection, Venice
• Photo Mode, Ideal Glass Studios, New York
• Hyperscapes, Kornhausforum, Bern
• Revolution V52, Caen + Marseille
• Geneva International Film Festival, Geneva
• The Art of Play, 3537, Paris
• Octobre Numérique, Arles
• London Film Festival (BFI), London
• DOK Neuland, Leipzig
• Transmoderna, NTX Museum, Amsterdam
• BLON Festival, Klaipėda
UPCOMING
• Final Girl, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris
• Me and who?, Le port des créateurs, Toulon
• Open factory, Le Centquatre, Paris
2024
• HEK Special Guest, Liste Art Fair Basel
• Netflix and chill, New Galerie, Paris
• Anticipation Festival, La Gaité Lyrique, Paris
• Linoleum Animation Festival, Kyiv
• NIFF Extanded, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
• Night of ideas, Villa Albertine, Jersey city
• Distraction - Gaming Session, Confort Mental, Paris
• MAX3MIN Festival, Milan
• Biennale NOVA_XX, Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris
• Vivre l'œuvre - Voyage aux frontières de l'art immersif contemporain, Musée d'art de Pully
• Néo-matérialités, Le Cube Garges, Garges-lès-Gonesse
2023
• The House of Pain, New Galerie, Paris
• DOQUMENTA, Querétaro
• Competencia VR, Festival de Cortos, Bogotá
• Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Bucheon
• Transmoderna, Artsdistrict Brooklyn, New York
• Anidox, Viborg Animation Festival, Viborg
• Festival européen du film fantastique, Strasbourg
• Nuit blanche, Le Consulat Voltaire, Paris
• Animafest Zagreb, Zagreb
• Jeden svět, International human rights film festival, Prague
• It’s dangerous to go alone!, Galerie Edouard Manet, Gennevilliers
• Festival Côté Court, Pantin
• Animation First, New York
• International Film festival, Rotterdam
• Smart Fipa Doc, Biarritz
• Prenons rendez-vous, Meyrin
• Issue 5 Group Show, Studio Magazine, Zurich
2022
• La Biennale di Venezia (Mostra), Immersive selection, Venice
• Photo Mode, Ideal Glass Studios, New York
• Hyperscapes, Kornhausforum, Bern
• Revolution V52, Caen + Marseille
• Geneva International Film Festival, Geneva
• The Art of Play, 3537, Paris
• Octobre Numérique, Arles
• London Film Festival (BFI), London
• DOK Neuland, Leipzig
• Transmoderna, NTX Museum, Amsterdam
• BLON Festival, Klaipėda
2021
• REFRESH #4, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zurich
• Oslo Night, House of Electronic Arts, Basel
• Palais Augmenté, Le Grand Palais, Paris
• Current New Medias, Santa Fé
• NewImages Festival, Paris
• Originelles, Galerie Charlot, Paris
• Recto Vrso, Laval
2020
• Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Barcelona
2019
• Summer Show, Galerie Lily Robert, Paris
• LVMH Pavillon, Paris
• NewImages Festival, Paris
• Devenirs Terrestres, La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris
2018
• La Biennale d’art contemporain, Lyon
• La Totale, Studios Orta, Boisy-Le-Châtel
• Tokyo Game Show, Tokyo
• Nordic Games, Malmö
• FILE, Electronic Language International Festival, São Paulo
• Les rencontres du Septième art, Lausanne
• VR Arles Festival, Rencontres d’Arles
• Huis van de Vlaamse film, Brussels
2017
• Paris Electronic Week, La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris
• NASSCOM India, Hyderabad
2016
• When objects dream, Salone Del Mobile, Milan
• Personne Publique, Galerie Pazioli, Lausanne
• Pier 17 opening, San Francisco
RESIDENCIES
• Villa Formose Immersive, Taiwan
• Atelier Grand Nord XR (as a mentor), Montréal
• Digital Playgrounds, Villa Albertine, New York
• Résidence Evil (as a mentor), l’Abri, Geneva
• La Becque, La Tour-de-Peilz
• Imprudence residency for speculative design, Paris
• Fabbula VR residency, Barcelona
• Villa Formose Immersive, Taiwan
• Atelier Grand Nord XR (as a mentor), Montréal
• Digital Playgrounds, Villa Albertine, New York
• Résidence Evil (as a mentor), l’Abri, Geneva
• La Becque, La Tour-de-Peilz
• Imprudence residency for speculative design, Paris
• Fabbula VR residency, Barcelona
SELECTED INTERVIEWS
• Mélanie Courtinat, créatrice de mondes numériques, Le Temps
• Mélanie Courtinat, artiste et créatrice de jeux vidéo, La Matinale, RTS
• Creating livable virtual spaces and cultivating community, Killscreen
• Il devient difficile de se souvenir d’un monde dépourvu de “numérique”, Fisheye Magazine
• Mélanie Courtinat, Tracks by Arte
• Mimo reálný svět, Vogue Czechoslovakia
• Le face-à-face artistique de deux gameurs nostalgiques, Le Monde
• Interview with Digital Art Expert Mélanie Courtinat, Foward Festival
• Au GIFF, Mélanie Courtinat émeut grâce à un jeu vidéo immersif, RTS
• Créer un film en VR, c’est comme jouer avec des Lego, mais en plus magique, Usbek & Rica
• Mélanie Courtinat, créatrice de mondes numériques, Le Temps
• Mélanie Courtinat, artiste et créatrice de jeux vidéo, La Matinale, RTS
• Creating livable virtual spaces and cultivating community, Killscreen
• Il devient difficile de se souvenir d’un monde dépourvu de “numérique”, Fisheye Magazine
• Mélanie Courtinat, Tracks by Arte
• Mimo reálný svět, Vogue Czechoslovakia
• Le face-à-face artistique de deux gameurs nostalgiques, Le Monde
• Interview with Digital Art Expert Mélanie Courtinat, Foward Festival
• Au GIFF, Mélanie Courtinat émeut grâce à un jeu vidéo immersif, RTS
• Créer un film en VR, c’est comme jouer avec des Lego, mais en plus magique, Usbek & Rica
LECTURES + TALKS
• Foward Festival, Berlin
• Internet Horror, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
• Table ronde, Musée d’art de Pully
• Table ronde, Mapping Festival, Geneva
• Développer un modèle économique durable et innovant dans les arts numériques, Women in Digital by KIKK Festival, Namur
• Position, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, Lucerne
• Chaillot Expérience : Anthropocène, Chaillot, Paris
• Don’t be afraid of video games!, Swiss interactive media design day, St. Gallen
• Beyond sound, vision, Amsterdam Dance Event, Amsterdam • Semi marathon, Worldbuilding opening, Centre Pompidou Metz
• Hyperscapes, Kornhausforum, Bern
• Photomode in video games, Ideal Glass Studios, New York
• Faire monde, Octobre Numérique, Arles
• Video Games, beyond entertainment, 3537, Paris
• Total Conversion, Galerie Forde, Geneva
• Playing Narrative, Serbian games association, Belgrade
• Keeping Up With Web3 Content Creation, Meta Panel, Paris
• Artist talk, Immersity 6, Angoulême
• Visual Contagions through the Lens of New Media, University of Geneva
• Connecting with others, Grand Palais Augmenté, Paris
• Artist talk, Synthesis Gallery, Berlin
• Representations of female characters in video games, Unite India, Hyderabad
• Virtual reality for creation, Rolex Forum, Lausanne
• Engaging the audience in virtual reality, Huis van de Vlaamse film, Brussels
• Materials of virtual reality, VR Arles Festival, Arles
• Foward Festival, Berlin
• Internet Horror, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
• Table ronde, Musée d’art de Pully
• Table ronde, Mapping Festival, Geneva
• Développer un modèle économique durable et innovant dans les arts numériques, Women in Digital by KIKK Festival, Namur
• Position, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, Lucerne
• Chaillot Expérience : Anthropocène, Chaillot, Paris
• Don’t be afraid of video games!, Swiss interactive media design day, St. Gallen
• Beyond sound, vision, Amsterdam Dance Event, Amsterdam • Semi marathon, Worldbuilding opening, Centre Pompidou Metz
• Hyperscapes, Kornhausforum, Bern
• Photomode in video games, Ideal Glass Studios, New York
• Faire monde, Octobre Numérique, Arles
• Video Games, beyond entertainment, 3537, Paris
• Total Conversion, Galerie Forde, Geneva
• Playing Narrative, Serbian games association, Belgrade
• Keeping Up With Web3 Content Creation, Meta Panel, Paris
• Artist talk, Immersity 6, Angoulême
• Visual Contagions through the Lens of New Media, University of Geneva
• Connecting with others, Grand Palais Augmenté, Paris
• Artist talk, Synthesis Gallery, Berlin
• Representations of female characters in video games, Unite India, Hyderabad
• Virtual reality for creation, Rolex Forum, Lausanne
• Engaging the audience in virtual reality, Huis van de Vlaamse film, Brussels
• Materials of virtual reality, VR Arles Festival, Arles
TEACHING
• Maraine de promotion, Master Immersive design & experience (IDE), GOBELINS, Paris
• Teacher, theory of video games, Bachelor, ECAL, Lausanne
• Workshop, Kill Screen gallery, Los Angeles
• Workshop, Bachelor Camera Arts, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, Lucerne
• Workshop, Schule für Gestaltung, St.Gallen
• Workshop & Master projects supervision, Académie des Beaux-Arts de Paris
• Artist talk, Amsterdam Fashion Institute
• Workshop, Master Fashion Image, Institut Français de la mode, Paris
• Workshop, Master Photography, ECAL, Lausanne
• Artist talk, Master Virtual reality, University of the Arts, London
• Artist talk, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zürich
• Workshop, Bachelor Plasticien FX, EICAR, Paris
• Artist talk, Académie de Paysagisme de Versailles
• Maraine de promotion, Master Immersive design & experience (IDE), GOBELINS, Paris
• Teacher, theory of video games, Bachelor, ECAL, Lausanne
• Workshop, Kill Screen gallery, Los Angeles
• Workshop, Bachelor Camera Arts, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, Lucerne
• Workshop, Schule für Gestaltung, St.Gallen
• Workshop & Master projects supervision, Académie des Beaux-Arts de Paris
• Artist talk, Amsterdam Fashion Institute
• Workshop, Master Fashion Image, Institut Français de la mode, Paris
• Workshop, Master Photography, ECAL, Lausanne
• Artist talk, Master Virtual reality, University of the Arts, London
• Artist talk, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zürich
• Workshop, Bachelor Plasticien FX, EICAR, Paris
• Artist talk, Académie de Paysagisme de Versailles
JURY
• Support Fund for Videogames (FAJV), Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, France
• Support fund for digital experiences, Cineforom, Switzerland
• Photo Mode exhibition, Ubisoft, New York
• Prix Émergences, La SCAM, France
• Diploma projects, Master video games, ICAN, Paris
• Art Games Jam, Octobre Numérique, Arles
• Future Is Sensible Award, Geneva International Film Festival, Geneva
• Virtual reality selection, Sehsüchte Film Festival, Potsdam-Babelsberg
• Digital Experimentation & Innovation Award 2023, Le Club des Directeurs Artistiques, Paris
• Diploma projects, Master + DSAA Image media éditorial, École Duperré, Paris
• Augmented Reality projects, Bachelor Graphiste jeux vidéo, GOBELINS, Paris
• Thesis projects, Bachelor Media interaction design, ECAL, Lausanne
• Support Fund for Videogames (FAJV), Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, France
• Support fund for digital experiences, Cineforom, Switzerland
• Photo Mode exhibition, Ubisoft, New York
• Prix Émergences, La SCAM, France
• Diploma projects, Master video games, ICAN, Paris
• Art Games Jam, Octobre Numérique, Arles
• Future Is Sensible Award, Geneva International Film Festival, Geneva
• Virtual reality selection, Sehsüchte Film Festival, Potsdam-Babelsberg
• Digital Experimentation & Innovation Award 2023, Le Club des Directeurs Artistiques, Paris
• Diploma projects, Master + DSAA Image media éditorial, École Duperré, Paris
• Augmented Reality projects, Bachelor Graphiste jeux vidéo, GOBELINS, Paris
• Thesis projects, Bachelor Media interaction design, ECAL, Lausanne