Mathieu Cardin
La quête du superflu et la Précession de la substance

November 25 2017 to January 13, 2018

La quête du superflu et la Précession de la substance is a proposition that highlights the concept of precession that acts on images consumed in a swift pace. Precession is the term given to the rotation axis of an object (star) when it encounters disequilibrium. It is the precession of a movement that leads it to change its form and angle, otherwise it remains stable and homogenous. The precession is the change of form. The return of a same object under a different angle, with a gradual shift in orientation and a new appearance. In La précession de la substance, Mathieu Cardin apply the principle of precession to the image and object in view of creating a rhythm and a repetition. Take, for example, a spinning top – the rotational speed is so fast that one can observe the precession and the repeated motifs that it gives rise to. In the exhibition, precession is depicted through the return of the form, a specific colour palette and the accumulation of mise-en-abymes. He thus combined ordinary objects and small interventions so as to create a rhythm that takes on a profoundness in its echoes.

Born in 1983, Mathieu Cardin is from the Outaouais. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Visual Arts from the Université du Québec en Outaouais in 2010, and a Master's degree in Visual Arts from Concordia University in 2015. His practice, which is mainly in the form of sculptures and installations where accumulation and deconstruction combine, invite the spectator to make the distinction between fiction and reality. Cardin's work is often articulated around a narrative in which the public, an accomplice of the artist, plays a double role of actor and spectator. His installations have been presented in Quebec, including at CIRCA art actuel, at the Guido Molinari Foundation, at Galerie B-312, and at the 33rd Symposium international d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, among others. His work has also been exhibited in France, Italy and Mexico. Since 2008, Mathieu Cardin lives and works in Montreal.