Thebaid (2019)

Awarded as early as 2020 with a national distinction in Canada in the field of visual arts, Thebaid also won an award at the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), following a major artistic competition in Quebec. The work was then selected for scientific research on painter artists. Captivated by its visual impact, CHUM members also created promotional items, including mugs and t-shirts, featuring the artwork. This recognition led to several collaborations and invitations, including a major opening dedicated to homelessness at the National Library and Archives of Quebec. In 2022, the work was again awarded in an artistic competition. It was also presented during a second opening in 2024, again at the National Library and Archives of Quebec. Created in 2019, Thebaid is one of the most important works in my artistic journey. It marks a pivotal moment in my life: Through long hours of meditation and introspection, I tried to make peace with the inner struggle I was going through, as I sought to break free from a toxic relationship with myself and reclaim my own space. The canvas depicts an eye from which a multitude of colors burst forth. The eye symbolizes the subconscious and the ego: this inner presence that constantly watches us, judges us, speaks to us, and sometimes influences our way of seeing the world. The colors, for their part, represent all that we are. Our emotions, our passions, our aura, our creativity, and everything that makes up our being. They are both universal and deeply individual. We all share the same humanity, we are equal, but each carries their own colors. The title Thebaid evokes a personal refuge, a haven of peace, a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the world. For me, this refuge is not necessarily an external place. It exists within us. Amid all the frenzy, thoughts, and struggles that inhabit us, there is a space where we can find calm. A wild and free space.