Festival Art Souterrain

In the installation Scaffold, wooden 2x4s are rearranged to create motifs inspired by Anishinaabe culture. By repurposing these materials from their original function as structural supports, they transform into vehicles for cultural and aesthetic expression. Wood is one of the few renewable resources used in residential construction. Because of its non-conductive qualities, it also plays a part in insulating homes. Through this work, Caroline Monnet draws an analogy between the resilience of Indigenous peoples and that of ecological housing. Central themes in her work include cultural persistence and the reconstruction of identity. Her pieces highlight the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities in the face of past traumas and present challenges. Monnet’s recent projects delve into the properties of building materials, allowing them to take on new meanings and perspectives.

The Echoes collection demonstrates a creative and unique use of these materials. In this collection, the home transcends mere structure to become a second skin. The interplay between emancipated sculptures and “living bodies” evokes a precious link between generations and a capacity for transformation towards the future.

Monnet has developed a diverse practice encompassing art, cinema, architecture, fashion, and furniture design as a multidisciplinary artist from Outaouais. Drawing from her Anishinaabe and French roots, she employs forms deeply embedded in collective memory to explore complex themes of Indigenous identity and cultural relations while reexamining history and social issues. In recent years, she has focused on the narrative potential of modern construction materials within the residential sector. Her innovative use of industrial materials merges popular and traditional visual cultures with modernist abstraction, resulting in unique hybrid forms rich in meaning. Monnet has exhibited her work at prestigious venues, including the Whitney Biennial (New York), the Toronto Biennial of Art, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa), and most recently at the Getty Museum (Los Angeles). Her works are also part of renowned permanent collections in North America and at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.