Lorène Picard is a graphic designer and holds a PhD in Design. She teaches in the Department of Design at the École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, where she serves as Deputy Director of Studies and coordinates the first year of the Master’s programme in Design Research.

        Her doctoral research critically examines contemporary art’s engagement with digital dematerialisation and the socio‑cultural ideologies embedded within the World Wide Web. Drawing on network science, her work foregrounds both the materiality and complexity of the Web and interrogates narratives surrounding its purported openness and freedom. Picard’s research adopts a materialist critique of digital modernity, challenging managerial rhetoric and avant‑garde detachment from political praxis. Her work highlights critical arts and design practices that expose corporate control, ecological consequences and labour invisibilities in digital systems. Creativity and imagination are central to engaging with socio‑technical transformations.

        She has participated in international exhibitions, including the Biennale Internationale Design In in Saint‑Étienne and Ars Electronica in Linz. Her curatorial work reflects her interest in intersections between design, technology, and contemporary social issues.

        She has contributed to editorial projects, serving on the editorial board of Azimuts. Design Art Recherche. Picard plays an active role in academic governance and pedagogy, serving on dissertation juries, coordinating Master’s degree committees and contributing to institutional boards. She is also involved in programme certification and academic leadership within design education.

        She is currently engaged as a researcher on Speculative Urban Future (SuRF), an ERASMUS+ European programme hosted by the Centre for Research in Design, exploring speculative methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary urban and ecological challenges.