Noémie Fortin  –

September 2023

Maude Arès and Douglas Scholes first met in Montreal, in their respective studios. At the crossroads of their practices lies an interest in small things: those found by accident, found in collections, picked up here and there, those we care for, that we maintain, that we patch up and repair, but also those that make up our daily lives and escape our attention. It was their conceptual and material affinities, and more specifically their commitment to artistic gestures of accumulation and maintenance, that led me to propose establishing a dialogue between their approaches for the duration of a research and creative residency.

During this first meeting, the two artists’ worlds began to converge through inspired (and inspiring) discussions and material discoveries: from beeswax bricks and photographs documenting Douglas’ performances, to boxes containing assemblages of materials carrying stories and affects, or mystery tools waiting to be repaired by Maude. 

Carried out by the ArtLab in collaboration with RURART art contemporain en milieu rural, this project will continue to unfold with the passing seasons at La Généreuse farm, culminating in a common exhibition at the Foreman Art Gallery in autumn 2024. From their first visit next week, the artists will be called upon to enter into a relationship with each other and with the site, to exchange ideas and objects, and to share the reflections and creative processes that drive them in their day-to-day work.