Andréanne Michon états d’esprit – states of mind
Addressing the dramatic forces of the Anthropocene and its irremediable consequences, Andréanne Michon immerses visitors in an environment where the sustainability of glacial, aquatic, and coastal ecosystems is at risk. Through her mixed-media installation, the Ontario- and Quebec-based artist explores the natural elements’ continuous cycle of transformation, while expressing a sense of eco-anxiety and urgency in the face of potential radical disruptions.
In the following artist statement, Michon summarizes the driving forces behind this project:
“The climatic threat continues to materialize. The notion of danger from the ripple effect of human activity intensifies in its manifestations. Melting glaciers and rising sea levels were abstract concepts that once seemed intangible. With fierce storms, fires, winds, drought, and flooding, displacement is real and experienced around the globe. It has never been this daunting to talk about the weather.
“The research around states of mind is motivated by eco-anxiety, which is growing as exponentially as the news feed. This project comprises a multi-channel video, a poem, an installation of sculpted silver gelatin prints, a photographic diptych, and a sound piece. Moving images create a broken path to water flow, from ice to vapour. Glitches, blackouts, and interacting surfaces engage with the idea of projecting oneself onto ancient or newly shaped landscapes. Nature’s invisible forces take effect conceptually through movement, flotation, and rotation; or with the sound of a passing thunderstorm in the atmosphere mixed with tidal flooding. We witness the immense power of the elements.
“We are holding on in the hope that climate action will be organized collectively and urgently. The pandemic has exacerbated our sense of insecurity and fear of the unknown—it is also speeding up our timeline. With the fragility of ecosystems and the vulnerability of being individually exposed in the face of such a challenging future, our ability to cope is as much at risk as the planet we inhabit.”
Curated by Gaëlle Morel
Presented by The Image Centre in partnership with CONTACT
Andréanne Michon (Canadian, b.1981) lives and works in Toronto, Ontario, and Bolton-Ouest, Quebec. In 2013, she received an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. She has participated in various artist residencies, including at L’imprimerie centre d’artistes (Montreal); the Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, USA); and SÍM (Reykjavík, Iceland). Michon’s interdisciplinary work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions in North America (La Bande Vidéo, Quebec, 2014; SF Camerawork, San Francisco, 2019) and Europe (Iceland, 2018; France, 2008 and 2019). Her solo exhibition Time Sensitive was presented by Circuit Gallery at Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art (Toronto, January 2020).