Mel Arsenault
Le jardin des astrocytes

This exhibition is presented as part of MOMENTA 2021 satellite programming.

September 11 to October 16th, 2021

Galerie Nicolas Robert is pleased to present a selection of ceramic from the corpus Le Jardin des Astrocytes, by Mel Arsenault. This exhibition brings together some of the artist’s works that explores the themes of transformation and plasticity as a phenomenon of adaptability and survival. The sculptural hybrids are presented as fantasies where the trace of the gesture mixes with biomorphic forms revealing clues of human, plant or animal anatomies. Arsenault's research methods are reflected in the experimentation maintained with the medium. Seeing clay as an ally with whom she collaborates, she lets the contingency of clay's chemical metamorphoses have the last word.

Mel Arsenault is originally from Oka and is grateful to live and work in Tiohtiá: ke / Montreal, on unceded Indigenous territory. She holds a bachelor's degree in painting and drawing from Concordia University where she is currently an MFA candidate in sculpture and ceramics. Her work has been presented in several group exhibitions as well as in a solo exhibition at La Guilde in 2020. She is the recipient of the Carolyn and Richard Renaud research grant and the Outstanding Work and Meaningful Contribution to Ceramics award from Concordia University. She participated in a residency at the Guldagergaard International Research Center in Denmark and her work has been presented in Italy, Romania, and Denmark.