Dive into a sea of memories with "Narrations souples"

A lively exchange between the two curators, Manon Pouliot and Sarah Kitzy Gineau Delyon, began with two works by artist Sonny Assu from the Loto-Québec Collection. These masks carry with them the artist's ancestral heritage, each notch carved by the age-old growth rings containing the wisdom of the Kwakwaka'wakw community on Vancouver Island, to which Sonny Assu belongs.

These two works served as a catalyst for a network of inspiration made up of pieces by Miri Chekhanovich, Tong Zhou Lafrance, Mallory Lowe Mpoka, Pardiss Amerian and Charlotte Ghomeshi, all brought together in the exhibition entitled Narrations souples.

The works interrogate inherited narratives, cherished memories and collected family archive photos. They offer an immersion into the artists' stories, where narratives fold and unfold, emphasizing emotions and symbols rather than the sequential order of events. Each work focuses on key moments, recurring themes, or emotions and impressions conveyed by the gesture, color, shape or texture of the object. Miri's recipe book, for example, is designed with edible and degradable materials, Tong Zhou cuts and reweaves her photos in connection with her adoption from China, Mallory creates prints from her family's archives, while Pardiss blends time symbolism, lyrical potential, collage and painting to transcend traditional historical boundaries. Charlotte shares with us a piece of her grandfather's history.

Through this narrative flexibility, the artists invite the public to connect with their sensible stories. The works lead visitors to question their own personal experience and find points of connection with the creations on display. The exhibition is a space for empathy and mutual understanding.

The selected body of work is an invitation to reinterpret established histories and question the narratives that have been passed down from one generation to the next. They allow us to consider new perspectives and actively engage with the past and reflect on the future, while directly questioning our role as narrators.

Curators: Manon Pouliot and Sarah Kitzy Gineau Delyon