Bernard Lamarche — Sylvain Brouillette. Dharma Bum Œuvres choisies, 1990-2006

Since 1987, Montreal artist Sylvain Bouthillette has been developing a pictorial, sculptural, photographic, sonic and graphic production distinguished by its conjunction of two a priori opposite axes. Ensuing from, among other things, New York’s Bad Painting-with which it shares a sense of derision-and a pictorial gesture near that of De Kooning, the artist’s production is notably fed by the popular imagery associated with the punk movement. From this vast source of visual references, the work opens onto spiritual considerations based on the artist’s active Buddhist practice. A cosmogony emanates from this amalgam, one whose framework rests on the intersection between these potentially opposing universes.

We believe that this publication constitutes an important step in the artist’s career. Allowing its readers to delve more deeply into his artistic process through the writings of Bernard Lamarche confirms, once again, that gathering complementary forces around a highly distinctive body of work can only be beneficial to the recognition of contemporary and current art.

Consult the exhibition archives.