Land scape
Marie Rioux
CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW
work on the sea wear fluorescent gear over their clothing which contrasts with the ambient grey. I was dazzled. The first time I tried this garish colour was with an oil pastel, which I rubbed onto untouched parts of my canvas left by pieces of tape. This was when my experiments with these fluorescent colours began. I loved them. I was excited by the contrast and its status outside the norms, its delinquency... This adventure is far from over. Sometimes I decide from the start that I will incorporate more textured elements into a work, and by applying certain colours on top of these I can accentuate their effects.
Over these years your works have been exhibited in several occasions: you have had five solos, including your show Le Saint-Laurent: empreintes at the Alliance Française in Toronto. One of the hallmarks of your work is the capability to create direct involvement with the viewers, who are urged to evolve from a condition of mere spectatorship. So before leaving this conversation we would like to pose a question about the nature of the relationship of your art with your audience. Do you consider the issue of audience reception as being a crucial component of your decision-making process, in terms of what type of language is used in a particular context?
I don’ t work for an audience or to meet its expectations. Nor do I work to keep up with the artistic currents of the day. My discourse meets an inner need that is independent of fashions. A work of art, like everything that is vital, must be able to evolve. My visual language meets a fundamental need to create and communicate, and that is what I offer the public. It is up to them to find their own resonance, their own meaning and pleasure. This does not mean I am indifferent to others, far from it, but rather that I have adopted a certain independent spirit. That said, I am obviously delighted when someone tells me that they enjoy my work.
Thanks a lot for your time and for sharing your thoughts, Marie. Finally, would you like to tell us readers something about your future projects? How do you see your work evolving?
No, thank you for your kind interest.
In the near future I must do a painting in the month of February on the topic of“ Joy” for a satellite exhibition of the Manif d’ Art international in Quebec City. This is not a common theme in my work, in my world. But I have a good idea for interpreting it. A monochrome without grey; light and circles: real joy!
I am going to continue the“ Rencontres la Nuit”(“ Encounters at Night”) series. I am probably going to explore human shadows on the land. This project has appealed to me for a long time: to create a video out of some of my paintings and to incorporate my shadow into it with ambient sound. Also, circles, magnifying glasses and clocks have begun to appear in my work. I will develop this. I will also soon begin works on wood, which will provide more opportunities to incorporate textures, collages, engravings, etc. Today these things, tomorrow something else. In short, I have several paths of interests and numerous projects. I am haunted by such a sense of urgency... So many ideas, so many possibilities. I feel as if I am only beginning to express my artistic thoughts.
In short, no boredom on the horizon. Only passion!