Lorène Bourgeois at loop

 Lorène Bourgeois in front of White Mantle at the Opening Reception
Photo by Patricia Njovu 2012

With Entourage, Lorène Bourgeois juxtaposes large-scale drawings on paper with smaller paintings in oil on slate.  Her images investigate the ambiguity of the face, the head, and the body, disclosed or obscured through clothing, framing and head-dress.

Installation Shot of Entourage at loop Gallery
Photo by Peter Legris 2012

Here, head-dress is examined not only for its social or utilitarian functions, but also as a framing device and a theatrical artifact.  Thus, a woman’s bonnet, the veil of a nun, or a bow tied upon a girl’s head are reconsidered in these works as objects of strange beauty.

With the paintings on slate, the face is rarely seen in its entirety.  Instead, fragments of slate, with their imperfections, uneven shapes, grooves, veins, and gashes, become supports for more intimate views of cheek, eyes, ear or nose.  Strangely, the stone recalls the flesh, and this apparently cold material seems to come to life, much like a skin.

Entourage also plays with the idea of presence, allowing potential alliances to form between the faces fixed illusionistically upon the walls and those of viewers - each gazing at one another.

Lorène Bourgeois at loop
Photo by Peter Legris 2012

Lorène Bourgeois lives and works in Toronto.  Her work in drawing, painting, and printmaking has been exhibited across Canada, as well as in France, Korea, Russia, and the United Sates.  She is represented in private and public collections, including Canada Council Art Bank, Banff Centre for the Arts, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ernst & Young, MOCCA, National Bank of Canada, Richmond Hill Public Library, and University of Toronto (Hart House and Donovan Collection).

Lorène Bourgeois gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ontario Arts Council.

loop is open this weekend: Saturday noon to 5 pm and Sunday 1-4 pm. The artist will be in attendance at the gallery on Sunday, June 3 and Sunday, June 10.

Lorène Bourgeois and Ingrid Mida at loop Gallery

loop Gallery is pleased to announce exhibitions by loop members Lorène Bourgeois entitled Entourage, and Ingrid Mida entitled Constructions of Femininity.

Lorène Bourgeois, White Mantle, conté drawing on paper, 57” x 45 ¼”, 2012

With Entourage, Lorène Bourgeois juxtaposes large-scale drawings on paper with smaller paintings in oil on slate.  Her images investigate the ambiguity of the face, the head, and the body, disclosed or obscured through clothing, framing and head-dress. Here, head-dress is examined not only for its social or utilitarian functions, but also as a framing device and a theatrical artifact.  A woman’s bonnet, the veil of a nun, or a bow tied upon a girl’s head are reconsidered in these works as objects of strange beauty.

Lorène Bourgeois lives and works in Toronto.  Her work has been exhibited across Canada, as well as in France, Korea, Russia, and the U.S.  She is represented in numerous collections, including the Canada Council Art Bank, the Banff Centre for the Arts, The Department of Foreign Affairs, Ernst & Young, the MOCCA, the National Bank of Canada, and the Hart House and Donovan Collections at the University of Toronto.

Stephanie, mixed media, 2012

This latest installation by Ingrid Mida is an exploration of the artifice of feminine dress and identity.  This work juxtaposes the extreme silhouettes of the 18th century dress with the armour of the modern day hockey warrior in a whimsical celebration of the power of sport to redefine femininity. Inspired by young women hockey players who display feats of courage, strength and power, hockey equipment has been transformed with feminine signifiers of ribbon, sequins and beading, and then paired with historical silhouettes made from mesh.

Ingrid Mida is a Toronto-based artist, and author of the popular blog Fashion is my Muse! She was the keynote speaker at the Costume Society of America mid-west conference in the fall of 2011 on the topic of "When does Fashion Become Art?" and will speak at the Fashion Tales Conference in Milan in June 2012 on "The Metaphysics of Fashion Blogging."