Paysages textiles québécois

The exhibition “Paysages textiles québécois” presents textile works by Quebec artists Carole Baillargeon and Louise Lemieux Bérubé. The installations “Je rêve d’être un arbre” (I Dream of Being a Tree) and “Hiver” (Winter) invite visitors to explore their own relationship with the land. These works combine arts and crafts, visual arts, craftsmanship and scenography, echoing the abundance of techniques used and the traditions and customs developed throughout the process of occupying the land, which are the bearers of human experience.

The exhibition highlights the relationship between individuals and their environment and demonstrates their ability to tame, adapt to and perceive its unique characteristics through the echoes it evokes in each of us. Quebec Textile Landscapes encourages visitors to experience the feel of textiles and their properties, the perception of the body in the environment, and the power to transport oneself into elements inspired by nature. Here, the notion of individual memory is closely related to that of time. These are intangible substances present in the works that evoke memories that find continuity in the artists’ work.

Through her work entitled “Je rêve d’être un arbre” (I dream of being a tree), Louise Lemieux Bérubé speaks of the close connection she has always had with trees. Their stability and strength reflect back to her a mirror and a peaceful anchor in the face of her questioning of her own ageing process. Using an immersive approach in the design of her work, she questions her own relationship with nature and the notion of permanence. The installation magnifies a dialogue with writers and loved ones, who, through embroidered words, offer their own personal reflections on nature and the environment.

The installation “Hiver, paysages vêteùments (‘Winter, Landscapes-Clothing’) echoes Carole Baillargeon’s childhood memories and personal observations of snow and the winter season. Entitled ‘Blizzard,’ ‘Les grands froids’ (The Great Cold), ‘Randonnée en forêt’ (Forest Hike), ‘Givre’ (Frost), “Tempête” (Storm), ‘Pris au piège’ (Trapped), ‘Neige scintillante’ (Sparkling Snow), and others, the pairs of blankets and headwear evoke Quebec winters drawn from the artist’s personal experiences. Carole Baillargeon’s artistic approach is inspired by the human condition and its capacity for resilience and adaptation, particularly to environmental constraints and the particularities of the seasons.

Exhibition curator: Marie-France Bégis

With the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec