J'essaie simplement de faire sourire certaines personnes.

OHOK Workshop is a Montreal-based artist working in ceramics, printmaking, and interventions in public space. The work centers on a growing gallery of smiling, pixelated characters that quietly populate exhibition spaces as well as the urban landscape. Inspired by the visual language of early video games, public mosaics, and the nostalgia of childhood, the practice transforms rigid geometric forms into playful, expressive figures. The street installations are conceived as unexpected encounters, nestled in overlooked corners of the city to interrupt daily routines with brief moments of curiosity, humor, and optimism. A simple smile, a floating balloon, or a familiar character can brighten someone’s day—and that is the point. The balloon, a recurring motif, is a symbol of fleeting moments of wonder and of impermanence. Like the smiling characters themselves, it represents those small moments of joy that can emerge unexpectedly and disappear just as quickly. Ultimately, the work invites people to slow down, smile, and reconnect with a playful spirit in environments that so often urge us to move too quickly.