FRANCE TRÉPANIER

VESSELS – VAISSEAUX

Trépanier’s work entitled Vessels-Vaisseaux shows the artist’s desire to open a dialogue with the public, because the way in which the installation is displayed depends on the visitors’ collaboration. The bowls symbolize the archetype of a container that has been used in many cultures throughout history. Here they embody a metaphor of conversation, such as a receptacle for words and narratives. Visitors contribute to the gradual transformation of the work by bringing objects that hold cultural significance for them and placing these objects in the small containers. The resulting conversation among various cultures becomes the central theme, the vessel for the work’s sense of identity.

Materials: Bee wax, pigments, clay, video and objects deposited by visitors.

Creative Process

Her creative process draws on elements of relational esthetics and often includes a collaborative component. Contributions and sharing are anchored at the heart of Trépanier’s practice. The participatory work that she creates highlights her creative approach, an approach that generally produces scalable installations that integrate media art.

The Artist

France Trépanier is an artist, exhibition curator and researcher – all at the same time. She is of Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) and québécois ancestry, and exhibits her creations in Quebec, Canada and France. Her artworks can be seen in a number of public collections, including the Aboriginal Art Centre of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the Museum of Civilization in Quebec City and the Banff Centre Art Collection.

PHOTO CREDITS

France Trépanier