Un parcours imprévu

 
In the Footsteps of Jean-Louis Émond

At the mercy of his excursions, Jean-Louis Émond photographs the places that inspire him, in order to hold onto the memories. He therefore assumes the role of observer of the world and detector of beauty, which he sometimes reproduces in his sculptures and paintings. The artist invites the visitors of his exhibition, Un parcours imprévu (An Unpredictable Path), to walk alongside him and discover his recent work (2017-2018).

Instead of seeking to write words on paper or recite them orally, Jean-Louis Émond uses his hands to shape the stories that are expressed in his paintings and sculptures. Passionate about the human figure, which he continually revisits, in An Unpredictable Path, he seems to slightly – but resolutely – be shifting direction from portraying feminine and masculine silhouettes, to exploring the adventures of life and the concept of existence. His emblematic sculptures of broken-up bodies, which have always haunted his production, are still present. But this time, they are accompanied by landscapes and architectural elements. These unprecedented motifs nevertheless evoke a leitmotif that is dear to Jean-Louis: movement. Alongside his dismembered characters, who are animated by postures that produce a subtle play of light and shadows, the imagery of bridges, benches, footprints and feet suggests a journey. We of course associate it with travel, but how can it not also bring to mind the journey of life?

Exerpt of In the Footsteps of Jean-Louis Émond by Mégane Cantérini in Vie des Arts, translation by Lisa Waite, Spring 2018, no. 250, pp. 44-45