Boréale No 1, Encre, pigment et acrylique sur carton 2023, 50 x 41 cm
Boréale No 2, Encre, pigment et acrylique sur carton 2023, 50 x 41 cm
In this ode to the tree, Carmelle offers us a lyrical vision of the life of this majestic being. She expresses her deep conviction of the importance of our sacred affiliation with the living, using the structure of the tree and the forest as a vehicle. This, in turn, reveals a sensitive existence frozen in this immutable structure.
Her work focuses our attention on plant growth and the aesthetic perfection present in nature, while questioning notions of trace, time and memory.
Expressing what is invisible and yet so present is for her an invitation to establish the links between man and nature and to protect them for the future of our planet.
CREATIVE PRACTICE – Alongside her intuition and multiple creative experiments, research is omnipresent, forming the foundation on which her thinking and her works are built. This combination forms the backbone of her artistic process. She draws on a variety of sources, scientific, poetic and artistic.
For this project, Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone’s work at the heart of trees, and the work of French botanist, biologist and dendrologist Francis Hallée, kept her company in the studio.
After this immersion, the artist gives way to free expression. She transcends the barriers of knowledge and embraces the emotional and intuitive dimension of her subject. Her personal experience, and her feelings about life and nature, are expressed through her art.
This phase of freedom allows him to cross the boundaries of research and rationality to explore symbolism, poetry and emotion in his work. It is here that her commitment to the necessity of life finds an authentic voice, imbued with her sensitivity and artistic vision.
For the Canopée series, Carmelle is inspired by an acrylic film printing technique developed by Marcel Saint-Pierre in the 2010s.
Carmelle adopts a thematic approach, exploring and treating her subject from multiple angles.
HISTORY – In the heart of boreal forests, where seasonal cycles of growth and rest alternate, trees add a layer of wood to the periphery of their trunks every year. These temporal marks, accumulated over decades or even centuries, become silent witnesses to the passage of time.
These rings, like chapters engraved in their essence, tell a detailed story of their lives, from the heart to the bark, revealing the different layers of their being: the heartwood, the sapwood and the cambium. They capture time in a way similar to a photograph, offering a unique imprint of our history.
The forest forms a vast community linked by mycelium, the underground vegetative part of fungi made up of a network of filaments. This web enables the plant world to communicate between species, contribute to the needs of the community and protect each other. From the canopy, Carmelle imagined this living community. These circles do not represent the phenomenon itself, but rather its trace.
Jacques Tassin, in his book « Croire aux arbres » (Believing in Trees), points out that to truly grasp the essence of a tree requires a return to a more intuitive state of perception, similar to that which we had as children, and which we have often lost over time.
Precisely… As a child, Carmelle would accompany her grandfather into the forest to pick wintergreen and listen to the trees breathe. For her, these memories evoke an intuitive connection with nature. These sensory experiences marked the beginning of a personal relationship with the forest. Since then, an inner need has guided her to explore and reconnect with this universe.
More than 25 works from the corpus will be presented in Montreal and on tour in 2024.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
The cultural mediation activity in the presence of the artist promises an enriching and engaging experience. It addresses crucial issues related to fo^ret and trees. During these activities, a short documentary is shown, aimed at inspiring participants to think about the issues linked to trees and forests and to create artworks.
As an extension of this experience, visitors will have the opportunity to acquire a short guide to orient them in the learning process for SOWING A TREE.
This initiative encourages active participation in preserving the environment. It creates a complete loop, from individual expression to concrete action, for greater understanding and a lasting commitment to protecting trees and forests.
BANDE SONORE – The music is a « mix » of forest sounds recorded by the artist and pieces by composers inspired by nature. It establishes a subtle dialogue between nature and the artistic work. It acts as a bridge, linking the studio where the work took shape with this music and its presentation. This connection between music, nature and art creates a synergy, a harmony that can amplify and enrich the understanding of the work, transporting spectators into an immersive and emotional experience.
DATES
April 9 to 26, 2024, Atelier-Galerie Carmelle Pilon, by appointment.
April 30 to May 5, 2024 – Exhibition at Belgo – Espace 442
372 Sainte-Catherine Street West, Montreal, Quebec.
April 2 to 7, 2024 – ART FAIR PARIS, France Prospection
L’EXPOSITION EST DISPONIBLE POUR LA TOURNÉE
TEAM
COORDINATION : The collective project
PROMOTION AND PRESS RELATIONS: Philippe Leblanc – info@leprojetcollectif.com
SALES – Galerie Éric Devlin – artcontemporain@galeriericdevlin.com
TEXTS: Carmelle Pilon and Robert Bernier
PHOTOGRAPHY : Guy L’Heureux
FRAMEWORK: Tout Autour
THANK YOU
To our buyers and collectors, those indispensable art lovers, patrons and visionaries. Special thanks to Mesdames Moronval and Billo!
Thanks to all the friends, colleagues, fans and extended family who support my work so wholeheartedly.
Éric Devlin, for his friendship and unfailing, expert support in the development of my new career.
Robert Bernier, for his support in writing and sharing his knowledge of the intricacies of tree life.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)