Entrelacements : rencontres du regard

Centred around self-representation and questions of identity, the exhibition creates a dialogue between the work of Damien Ajavon (Oslo, Norway) and Mikaël Lepage (Drummondville, Quebec). Damien Ajavon is a queer, non-binary artist of African descent who explores their heritage and culture through textile art and photography. Born in Drummondville, Mikaël Lepage addresses his experience as a young gay man raised in the region through oil self-portraits.

Their experiences meet in the exploration of queer identity in a heteronormative society. The artists’ works deconstruct norms traditionally associated with the female and male genders—particularly through their use of clothing—moving away from archetypal representations of gender that have long dominated the history of representation. Their bodies of work explore plural, fluid, and complex identities whose juxtaposition supports an exploration of both self and other.

Emerging from a long conception and production process, the presented works invite viewers to access a less frantic sense of time. Textile art and oil painting evoke the slowness and solitude of creating in the studio. Through their chosen mediums, Ajavon and Lepage encourage visitors to take time to contemplate, question, and reflect.