From September 9 to 23, 2026, Caran d’Ache will showcase the project by Mélie Notari and Alissa Kumpf, winners of the Caran d’Ache + HEAD Prize, at its Espace Créatif at Plateforme 10. This exhibition, which opens on September 9, is part of the artist residency program offered to the award-winning artists and showcases a collaborative approach at the intersection of illustration and the visual arts.

Through their respective practices, Mélie Notari and Alissa Kumpf construct a world where memories, personal references, and childhood imaginations converge, fueled by shared themes such as nostalgia, play, symbolism, the medieval world, and, above all, the figure of the horse. Derived from the expression “uh coco,” the title “Tayot, tayot! ” evokes a world that is at once mysterious, playful, and childlike, inviting visitors to rediscover certain sensations of childhood: the fun, fears, beliefs, and oddities that accompany it. 

In residence at the Espace Créatif Caran d’Ache since August 17, the two artists are exploring their respective practices while gradually developing a joint exhibition. The residency offers them the freedom to experiment with new techniques, work on a larger scale, and blend different mediums, including Luminance 6901™ colored pencils, Neocolor™, and acrylics. Driven by trust and collaboration, their process is spontaneous and playful, leaving more room for gesture, play, and experimentation. In this way, they are exploring a freer approach, moving away from the pursuit of perfection to gradually bring a shared universe to life.

Winners:
Mélie Notari: holds a Bachelor’s degree in visual arts from HEAD – Geneva. Her practice combines internet archives and personal archives. Drawing on collections of images, she weaves together references from the web with her own life experiences to present them in a sensitive context.
Alissa Kumpf: holds a Bachelor’s degree in illustration from HEAD – Geneva. She is an illustrator and comic book author. Influenced by her cultural heritage and family stories, she explores themes related to intimacy, absence, and clandestine pseudo-beliefs through symbolism and humor.