Opening November 9 from 5 to 7:30 PM with the artist in attendance.
The Espas Sakre [Sacred Space] exhibition is an installation, a regulated ritual encouraging self-encounter in sync with the artworks. I felt the need to give meaning and purpose to my creative exercise by integrating the various desires and needs within me. I strive to connect with the invisible to seek light and harmony. I want to thank you for participating and breathing life into this episode of my journey. Your presence is appreciated. Ayibobo!
– Clovis-Alexandre Desvarieux, Montréal, 2023
Clovis-Alexandre Desvarieux was born in Port-au-Prince. He now lives and works in Montreal. He obtained a degree in engineering from Concordia University before devoting himself to visual arts. Desvarieux explores universal concepts through the prism of Haitian mythology and history. He works simultaneously on three complementary bodies of works: representations of voodoo deities, reflections on the salvatory potential of the Haitian ecosystem and abstract paintings inspired both by his personal journey and by the larger history of the Caribbeans. He draws from the narrative universe of important Haitian masters, such as Hector Hyppolite, Philomé Obin, Jean-Claude Garoute, Louisianne Saint-Fleurant and André Pierre. He also incorporates influences from Western art movements such as abstract expressionism and cubism.
Desvarieux is a founding member of the art collective Atelïer Good People. His art has recently been exhibited at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts,Sargent’s Daughters West (Los Angeles), theDoris McCarthy Gallery (University of Toronto), MAADI,Livart,Galerie Hugues Charbonneau and many Maisons de la culture [Houses of culture] in the Montreal region. In 2020, the organization Nigra Iuventa included his art in the collective exhibitionJe sais pourquoi l’oiseau chante en cage[I know why the caged bird sings]. Artworks by Desvarieux can be found in the collections of Global Affairs Canada, BLG, Collection Desjardins, Gris Orange Consultants, Hydro-Québec, MAADI, RBC and TD Bank Corporate Art Collection.
