Festival Art Souterrain

Isabelle Hayeur revisits her project Maisons Modèles, initially created between 2004 and 2007, and adds new works produced at the end of 2024. This fresh look emphasizes the enduring relevance of her work, which features images of suburban houses and model homes that have been digitally manipulated and placed in new contexts. Having lived in the suburbs for nearly 20 years, Hayeur questions the architecture of these houses, which often rely on archetypes characterized by questionable and inconsistent logic. By altering these forms, she delves into how the architecture of the home creates a sense of reminiscence, security, and comfort. Her art fosters a deep reflection on the perception and symbolism of the home while challenging collective ideals and notions of belonging and identity related to our living spaces.

Through her visual interventions—whether in photography, video, or installation—Hayeur invites viewers to reconsider their perspectives and beliefs. She challenges our perceptions and questions our connections with images, space, and collective memory. Her critical approach explores contemporary ecological and urban issues. Immersed in the spectacle of urbanization, she engages with environmental discourse and examines the challenges related to land-use planning. Her work provides a sensitive and thoughtful reflection on the transformations of the landscape and their societal implications.

She is a photographer and video artist based in Lanaudière, Quebec. She earned her MFA from UQAM in 2002. Noted for her expertise in video, imaging, and digital art, she is also a founding member of Perte de signal, a collective focused on creating media art. Hayeur’s art has been presented in various prominent venues, including the New York Photography Festival in Brooklyn, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in Berlin, among others. In 2022, she was awarded the Prix du CALQ for Artist of the Year in Lanaudière.