Artists:

Allison Moore and Arthur Desmarteaux

Allison Moore and Arthur Desmarteaux are a multidisciplinary artist duo who have been working in Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension for about twenty years. Having both completed the Master of Fine Arts program at Concordia University, they collaborate on the creation of shadow theater works and site-specific architectural video projections. More recently, they developed an immersive dome-based work at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) entitled Cloud Bodies, which has enjoyed international success. They have also created public artworks composed of large mosaics in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Pointe-aux-Trembles. They have also directed music videos for local musicians such as Julien Sagot and Navet Confit. Allison Moore is originally from Victoria, British Columbia, while Arthur Desmarteaux was born in Montreal. They run the company Egotrip and have exhibited their work internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Korea and the Museu de Arte de Belém in Brazil. For more information about them, visit arthuro.ca and allisonmoore.net.

Works in the exhibition:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notre pain quotidien (2013), Paysage pittoresque (2014), Super super heureux (2009) et Microcosme (Arthur Desmarteaux, 2008)

 

Technique: Digital photomontages (detail)

 

Approach:

Allison Moore and Arthur Desmarteaux have been collaborating on large-scale digital photomontages since 2008. The images reproduced here are details of these large-scale works. The first works in this series were joyfully created at Atelier Graff on Rachel Street. These panoramic prints are developed jointly from their photographs, images scanned from publications or found on the internet, and then cropped with a graphics tablet. Because they are drawn from and anchored in current events, these highly detailed works acquire a sociopolitical and caricatural character. They are created in turn using the computer, and the established rule is not to erase the other artist's additions, while the superimposed images can be moved or resized in the software. More recently, some of these works have been animated using the Artivive application. In their collective audiovisual works, Allison Moore creates the video content while Arthur Desmarteaux composes the soundtracks. To test the augmented reality experience on the website with your mobile device, you can download the application; artivive.com

Mireille Levert

A graduate in visual arts from UQÀM, Mireille Levert primarily works in the field of illustration. She is one of the founding members of Illustration Québec. Known and celebrated for her poetic writing and illustrations, she has twice won the Governor General's Award of Canada.

Pursuing a desire for exploration and visual research, she enrolled in printmaking training in Ireland at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation and in Montreal at Atelier Circulaire. Using printmaking and monotype techniques, she has renewed her approach to working. She creates intimate landscapes, paying homage to the beauty of nature, where colors, gestures, and textures create rich, evocative atmospheres.

Works in the exhibition:

Lune rouge (2023), Traverser le paysage (2024), Arlecchino (2024) et Le bruit des vagues (2024)

Technique: Monotype, Charbonnel ink on Somerset paper.

Approach:
My passion for the visual arts has been with me for a long time. My recent discovery of printmaking, printed art, allows me to progress and corresponds to my intuitive nature, combining a certain amount of planning with great spontaneity.
Working with monotype, with or without the use of a press, allows me to achieve effects that are difficult to achieve otherwise. From these impressions, I can rework my images, reprinting, pasting, drawing, or painting, according to my inspiration.
I develop a completely internal vision of the landscape. I am drawn to the themes of nature: birds, trees, the moon, the sky, the sea...
The use of color is at the heart of my works, for its energy, its ability to create visual emotion.

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Laëtitia Matrat
A multidisciplinary artist with degrees in visual arts from the École des Beaux-Arts de Nantes (France) and in arts management from HEC Montréal, Laëtitia Matrat creates fascinating worlds. Stories, real or imaginary, are told through characters symbolizing physical, philosophical, metaphysical, or social forces. Each work becomes a gateway to a world of infinite narratives, where you are invited to create your own myths, fables, and legends.

Works in the exhibition:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voyage extraordinaire (2024), Pique-Nique (2024), Jouer dehors (2024) et Métro, vélo, rando (2024)

Technique: Acrylic and collage on a glossy playing card

Approach:
The playing cards on display all have their own stories; they assemble and resemble each other to create a narrative that transports you into an imaginary world. Each assembly functions like a deck of cards; you choose how many cards you want, and the story takes shape. You can interpret them according to your experiences, emotions, and desires. Several levels of interpretation are open to you, offering a space for introspection, reflection, and dialogue with yourself and other visitors.