Projet commun at the Plural 2025 Contemporary Art Fair
As part of the 2025 edition of the Plural contemporary art fair, Projet commun is presenting the artists Orise Jacques-Durocher and Camille Lescarbeau at its booth, whose works conceal, under the guise of innocence, a richness of craft and intellect. Behind an apparent naivety, enhanced by a girly[1]palette, their artworks tackle contemporary issues such as recycling and the studio of the artist – quasi-proletarian – in a context where the conditions of artistic expression navigate between uncertainty and instability. Whether shapes, materials, colors or even titles, every detail becomes a vehicle for reflecting on the (in)tangible world that surrounds us. These two artists invite us to better understand the spectacle unfolding before us, and even to contribute to its transformation.
[1] In the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, “girly” is defined as: “a colloquial and condescending term for saying, especially in literature, ‘with girls’ or ‘made by a girl’. It's also a fashion trend or movement that emerged in the early 2000s, designating an attitude, often ingenuous, that young girls like to give themselves. It's the culture of pink and bright colors, rhinestones, sequins, faux fur, skirts... It’s a means of expression and belonging to a social group for young girls who are ‘too young for boys, too old for toys’”.
In the universe imagined by Orise Jacques-Durocher, ingenuous protagonists inhabit a society where candor animates interpersonal relationships. This light and poetic fiction, built on the terms of labor, conceals the shortcomings of the contemporary Western era, where ignored inequalities – in a gentle indifference or blindness that is both frantic and lacking – lull individuality with promises. From handcrafted pieces, following the rhythm and whims of the material, to characters seemingly subjugated to opulence, this imaginary world reveals itself to be not far from reality. Between vigor, patience and delicacy, Orise’s technique – embracing the reuse of studio scraps – serves the composition of fables in which fragile yet solid objects carry the tales of a peculiar fantasy.
Orise Jacques-Durocher, De la série Utopie, oiseaux, etc., 2024, Montreal. Photo: William Sabourin.
By delving deeper into craftsmanship and aesthetics, Camille Lescarbeau adopts a lucid and meticulous gesture that blurs the boundaries between art and craft. Drawing inspiration from surrounding resources, her practice follows a circular creation process where every action – whether carefully thought out or dictated by the material – not only records traces of time and labor in her work, but also bears the imprint of an environment relentlessly consumed. From collecting scraps to making paper by hand, her proposals unfold with unpredictability, yet are guided by an acute awareness of the logics that govern the ecosystem of contemporary art.
Camille Lescarbeau, La compression des instants (Portail 3), 2024, Gatineau. Photo: Alexis Bernard.
At a time when the idea of degrowth has never been more relevant, it is crucial to question actions that violently impact human lives and the spaces they inhabit – including the eventualization of art. The frenetic pace of our daily and professional lives has become customary. Though unsustainable, this reality endures, causing harm and suffering – sometimes irreversible. To reflect on our position in the face of this crisis, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Anne-Sophie Evoy, an expert on the subject. The exhibition presented in our booth therefore integrates this perspective, aiming to address these issues through collective reflection.
ORISE
Represented artist
Photo credit: Noémie Sylvestre
BIOGRAPHY
Orise Jacques-Durocher is an artist who lives and works in Montreal, where she obtained a BFA from Concordia University (2020). Her work has been shown in group and solo exhibitions in Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as in Denmark, during a residency at the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center.
THE ARTIST'S APPROACH
Through sculpture and installation, my experimental ceramic practice investigates and reimagines our understanding of the object. An approach inspired by the principles of fable allows me to approach my critical and romantic reflections with a subtle smirk. In the studio and in everyday life, my work develops with a persistent attachment to slow, engaging processes. My choice of methods, from the most trivial to the extravagant ones (hand building coils for hours on end, crushing a sculpture into a thousand pieces with a hammer, passing the mop), leads me to maintain a close and careful relationship with the material, making my work the visible trace of this intimate dialogue.
Since 2021, following reflections on the vigor and longevity of ceramic material, and also in a process of necessity and curiosity, I've been developing an experimental material process consisting, among other things, of finely crushing my own works to make new ones. The crushed material binds with the glazes applied to the surface of the sculptures, creating an intriguing texture that blurs our perception of the material. The labor perceived in the forms also engages reflections on work and productivity in an art world subjected to speed and precariousness. The enigmatic delicacy of certain hand-shaped pieces is also a way of underlining and celebrating the strong sensitivity of the ceramic material.
In parallel with my material research, I develop series of sculptures, inspired by a variety of references, often literary, sometimes philosophical or drawn from the natural world. These sculptures evolve, multiply and transform as I read and wander.
CAMILLE
Represented artist
Photo credit: Document original
BIOGRAPHY
Camille Lescarbeau is an eco-feminist artist and craftswoman based in Montreal. She holds a master's degree in visual and media arts from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and a bachelor's degree in visual arts from Concordia University. Recent exhibitions have taken place at Regart, L'Espace Pierre-Debain, Galerie FOFA and Livart. She has participated in several residencies, notably at the Musée régional de Rimouski and the Biennale de sculptures de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. Camille regularly presents the fruit of her research by contributing to round tables, workshops and presentations. She co-founded UQAM's handmade paper workshop.
THE ARTIST'S APPROACH
I'm developing a sculptural and painterly practice of handmade paper, rooted in ecofeminist values. This has led me to reject the ideals of regularity and technical mastery historically associated with craftsmanship. Rather than noble fibers and expensive tools, I use scraps from my daily life, such as egg cartons, mail and sketches.
Faced with the ecological crisis, ecofeminists are calling for action. In this way of thinking, all the earth is sacred, whether it is preserved or polluted, destroyed or cultivated. It's up to us to enter into a healing relationship with it. Through my practice, I shape my scraps of earth, which have been transformed many times, into abstract symbols of renewal. This allows me to explore my relationship with the material world and the care it requires and deserves.
ANNE-SOPHIE
Public representative
Working with Anne-Sophie Evoy has been a real pleasure. Her perspective has significantly enriched that of the Projet commun team. Her enlightened look at environmental issues has enriched our discussions and helped to focus our ideas. Her thoughts particularly resonated with the artists' concerns put forward for this edition of the Plural Art Fair, notably around recycling, circularity and sustainable practices. Her realistic and inspiring approach has made her an invaluable collaborator in this collective endeavor.
Biologist by training and holder of an MBA focusing on the social and environmental responsibility of organizations, Anne-Sophie is interested in the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in the context of the climate crisis. She is driven by the desire to achieve environmental justice, and fundamentally believes that everyone has a role to play in making the socio-ecological transition necessary for the survival of living beings.
A biologist by training and holder of an MBA focusing on the social and environmental responsibility of organizations, Anne-Sophie is interested in the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in the context of the climate crisis. She is driven by the pursuit of environmental justice, and fundamentally believes that everyone has a role to play in achieving the socio-ecological transition necessary for the survival of all living things.
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Projet commun is especially grateful to Marilou Bourdon for her invaluable support in this adventure.
Thanks also toAssociation facultaire étudiante des arts (AFÉA) from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
