November 24, 2022 to February 5, 2023
La Guilde is pleased to present the exhibition Monstres : Douces aspérités by ceramic artist Paul Guidera.
The exhibition Monstres : Douces aspérités presents a series of ceramic pastel-coloured monsters with softened forms. These monsters—bearers of narratives and imagination—inspire shared feelings somewhere between contempt and empathy. Their hybrid and unconventional identities stir fear of the unknown. Yet it is precisely their overlapping and imperfect characters that give them secretive and unsuspected powers.
Here, the creatures carry within them remnants of their means of defence: the thorns transformed into soft growths are a sign of definite resilience. Developed playfully and with a desire for hybridization, every piece in the exhibition draws as much from figurative elements as from utilitarian ones. The elements borrowed from the realm of the monstrous—legs, teeth, and bumps—blur the functional character and seek to bring to life what, at first glance, appears to be inert. From the moment they are made to once they leave the artist’s studio, these beings come to life as companions with whom it becomes possible to create meaningful and intimate links on a daily basis.
About the artist
Ceramic artist Paul Guidera was introduced to the medium as a teenager. He completed his diploma in Fine Crafts in France and then moved to Montreal to complete a DEC in Ceramics at the Centre de Céramique Bonsecours. His playful and figurative approach as well as his visual vocabulary are developed around work that combines functional and sculptural elements. Figuration, whether through the addition of drawing or the creation of an expressive form, makes his work accessible while inviting the observer to appropriate the narrative. He has received the Prix Évolution de la caisse Desjardins de la culture (2018), the Vote des Pairs de 1001 pots (2019) and the Prix François-Houdé (2021). His work has been presented in various markets and group exhibitions in Canada, France, and the United States.
Photos: Exhibition views, 2022. © La Guilde