Patricia Lortie

Artist in Residence: October 2020 - June 2021

ABOUT PATRICIA LORTIE’S RESIDENCY

Patricia Lortie’s winter residency at the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre started in the thick of one of the pandemic lockdowns that lasted until the Spring of 2021, during which she spent lonely weeks in isolation, “in the serenity of the sunny studio, with no internet, no visitors, and nowhere else to go because of all the Covid restrictions.”

Patricia’s playful and intuitive exploration at the KOAC residency space allowed her to find compelling ways to engage with cardboard, a material she collected from alleys and recycling bins. Using volume, mass and shape, and even colour as guiding principles, she successfully reused mostly cardboard boxes beyond their original contexts and uncovered their alternative identities, moulding them into abstract forms beyond their original intent.

The outcome was a sublime sculptural community of “gentle tree-like creatures with personalities of their own that hold secrets we have yet to uncover about our world. As I moulded layer upon layer of cardboard, I got to know each one.” Patricia calls them “The Keepers,” who embody a critical message about climate change, excessive consumption, and environmental pollution. “Like our earthly forests, it feels like my sculptures are keepers of ancient knowledge and infinite potential for life. It feels like they know things we don’t.”

See more of Patricia Lortie’s work on her instagram @patricia.lortie.art