It is in Saint-Jean-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, in this village which gives a nod to the north bank of the river, that Volume was implanted. Visible from the Mitan road which crosses the island from side to side through fields, the eight cubic foot creation contrasts, through its geometry and its whiteness, with the expanse of green which surrounds it.
“I wanted to explore the influence of a composition on our perception of the place and the natural environment,” explains Juliette Blouin, a graphic designer by training, who continues her journey as a multidisciplinary artist through painting, sculpture and architecture. “As there is no built element around, only the structure and the landscape stand out. The impact is even greater. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JULIETTE BLOUIN
Multidisciplinary artist Juliette Blouin
Obtaining a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec was the driving force behind setting up this artistic installation with an architectural theme. The owners of a farm then agreed to host the creation on their land on Île d’Orléans, to which the artist is attached having spent his summers there as a child.
Originally, Volume is a cube, she explains. Cut in two, it gave two rectangular prisms. By a simple 90 degree rotation, the orientation of these geometric shapes creates two perspectives: one oriented towards the sky, the other towards the horizon. These two windows frame the landscape, highlight certain of its components and allow us to contemplate it differently.
The process demonstrates how, through simple geometric manipulation, and within the same volume, we can create distinct architectural experiences.
Juliette Blouin
Volume can be enjoyed from La Mitan until spring 2024. You can also drive there by leaving your car on the side of the road, to approach the path on foot to the installation. Inside, four canvases illustrate the different uses of the form.