July 7 to September 11, 2022
See the exhibition catalogue
The exhibition presents the work of eleven promising contemporary Canadian artists:
Andréanne Bouchard
Clara Cousineau
Karine Demers
Sébastien Gaudette
Marie-José Gustave
Pauline Loctin
Alexia McKindsey
Stéphanie Morissette
Christine Sioui Wawanoloath
Erin Vincent
Ute Wolff
Paperholic : Obsession papier explores the variety of possible practices when paper becomes a medium rather than a support. It is the first exhibition at La Guilde dedicated to this material, where the subject, medium or representation is paper. This exhibition pushes the limits of this incredible medium. It presents the work of artists who cut, fold, tear, roll, sculpt, weave, create pop-ups, or play with illusions.
The exhibition highlights the many and varied possibilities that paper has to offer. Each artist presents a different approach to the medium in his or her creation: sculptural or hanging pieces, site-specific installations, representations of geometric abstraction, or even an organic work. As there is no program or school specialized in work made from paper–which is different, for example, from glass or ceramics–we notice that artists are often self-taught in their exploration, which pushes them to innovate. These artists often have a background in visual arts and decide to orient their practice towards the use of paper, as it is in line with their commitment to meticulous and detailed work. What they have in common is a profound enthusiasm for the medium, which is reflected in the way they talk about their practices and which led us to choose the title "Paperholic : Obsession papier". This "obsession"–shared by many artists working with paper–serves as a thread running through their work. It is highly constructive while being innovative. It raises questions about the material and encourages all to question the creative process that led to the making of a work.
Malleable, fragile, sometimes capricious, alive, paper is flexible in its materiality and conceptual nature. It opens up endless avenues. The surprising creations shared by the artists in Paperholic : Obsession papier encourage reflection on the diverse perspectives of the craft and visual arts disciplines. We encourage you to explore the diversity of practices around a single medium and the techniques of each artist to push the boundaries of the medium. Step into the realm of paper with us.
LAND InSIGHTS
LAND InSIGHTS is the driving force behind the International First Peoples Festival, a multidisciplinary artistic and cultural event that makes Montreal the nerve centre of Indigenous creativity from the three Americas for ten days in August. We set three strategic objectives upon our foundation in 1990: create a major First Nations festival in Montreal, commemorate and remember the Great Peace of Montreal 1701 upon its tricentennial, and secure a permanent home for First Cultures in Québec’s metropolis. Mission: Link the artistic and cultural renaissance of First Peoples to the cultural dynamics of a major metropolis within a sustainable development perspective based on friendship between peoples, diversity of sources of expression as a collective cultural wealth to share and recognition of the specificity of First Nations.
VIRTUAL CONTENT
Image: Image: Visual design for Paperholic : Obsession papier.
Video: Dialogue | Les artistes de Paperholic : Obsession papier © La Guilde
