Born in Madrid in 1951, Miguel-Angel Berlanga is well known throughout the National Capital Region for his major public works. Co-founder of the artistsʼ collectives A&B associés and Groupe Agri-culturel, his works have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Canada and abroad.
Natif de Val-Morin, Jean Bisson Biscornet est revenu s’installer dans les Laurentides quarante ans plus tard. De son atelier à Val-David, il y réalise des œuvres singulières. Depuis son enfance, le dessin et la découverte de moyens d’expression furent ses intérêts premiers et ont orienté sa carrière vers la céramique, médium qui ouvrit la porte vers les expérimentations sculpturales avec d'autres matériaux.
Holder of a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Design, with a concentration in Visual Arts from the University of Quebec in Outaouais (2004), Mustapha Chadid has held several solo exhibitions across the Ottawa-Gatineau region and elsewhere in Quebec. His active participation in group exhibitions in Canada and the US has earned him numerous awards and recognitions, and he is a recipient of multiple grants from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Ontario Arts Council. His works are in private and public art collections in Canada and abroad.
Chadid is fascinated by the world of machines and mechanical contraptions, as well as the parallel between science and art, leading him to create contemporary metal artworks. He works with materials sourced from reclamation and recycling, utilizing traditional materials like iron and copper. Objects are transformed and elevated into sculptures, invoking a fabulous journey between the real and the imaginary.
Touché / Stricken
The large bird struck by arrows is a visually rich composition that is filled with symbols and meanings that evoke elements of both Christian tradition and Greek mythology.
The martyrdom of Saint Sebastian is a classic theme in Christian art, representing a saint who, according to legend, was tied to a post and pierced with arrows due to his faith. From this perspective, the bird wounded by arrows can be seen as a symbol of suffering, resilience, and sacrifice in times of crisis. This relates to the dedication and resilience of many individuals, especially healthcare personnel and first responders, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reference to Greek mythology through Apollo's arrows evokes a more universal dimension. God of healing and of pestilence,Apollo sendshis arrows to inflictand cure disease, a duality that highlights the vulnerability of humanity to natural forces. The god's arrows symbolize the unpredictability and fragility of human life.
Transposing these elements into the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bird becomes a powerful metaphor for humanity. Like the bird struck by Apollo's arrows, we, as a global society, have been affected in unexpected and devastating ways Its arrows have touched our health, economy, societies, and lives deeply and often painfully. But as Apollo's arrows can also bring healing, the wounded bird can symbolize humanity's resilience in the face of adversity, confirming our ability to overcome trials and rise again.
Ultimately,we are invited to reflect on our collective experience of the current pandemic, resilience and humanity's capacity to overcome challenges along with the suffering and sacrifice. It encourages us to find deeper meanings in the events that have touched our lives, through the lens of art and symbolism.
