Carole Baillargeon is a French Canadian artist who works with textiles to create sculptural pieces, often with a theme of wrapping and enveloping.
I have to confess that I find the image of the wrapped human figure somewhat disturbing where it obscures the body’s features, in particular the head. It triggers feelings of claustrophobia, silencing, suffocation – thoughts of mummification, being trapped and unable to move.
Nevertheless, Baillargeon’s combination of sculptural, wrapped textiles and live performance is quite compelling. Hiver (pictured above) is one such example; a series of 24 pieces, created from many forms of textile (knitting, fabric, soluble fabric, felting, applique) and transformed into a series of draperies (clothes/hats) represent the different properties of snow. Further images from this project can be found here.
Hiver (Winter) is one of a series of 4 projects, each one representing a different season. Printemps (Spring) is a complex series of pieces constructed from corks, ete (Summer) a light and vivacious series comprising reflective wire and metals, buttons and baubles. Automne is created from jeans fabric and represents the classlessness and universality of jeans. It prompts the viewer to consider the life of the components before they became part of the installation.
Of particular interest to me in Baillargeon’s work is her extensive use of diverse materials, in particular the use of different media to represent the snow in “hiver”. Hiver exploits a monochromatic theme, utilising texture, shape and form to express the varied forms present in a snowy landscape.
exposition a diagonale
(c) Carole Baillargeon
drave derriere la chute – printemps
(c) Carole Baillargeon
performance drave et autres vivacites – printemps
(c) Carole Baillargeon
bouleboutons – ete
(c) Carole Baillargeon
soufflebvcote – ete
(c) Carole Baillargeon
vuedutrain – automne – (c) Carole Baillargeon