OPENING: Espace VERRE Graduate Exhibition

Armel Desrues and Marc-Andre Fontaine, this year's graduates of the three-year Diploma of College Studies in Fine Crafts – Glass Option, offered through Espace VERRE and Cegep du Vieux Montreal, will be showcasing their work in the exhibit titled “SiO2” at Espace VERRE, on view today through September 5, 2014. Established in 1983, the non-profit organization Espace VERRE offers education programs in glassmaking for artists and the public in addition to their collegiate program, promotes glass art through exhibitions, sales, and special events, and offers studio rentals. 

Coming from France, Armel Desrues expanded upon his traditional glassblowing foundation and embraced a more experimental and sculptural approach throughout the duration of the three-year program, "[exploring] the plasticity of molten glass to create forms that retain traces of their mutations," according to the Espace VERRE newsletter. Stemming from research on the correlation between our environment and glass history, Desrues’ work rejects classical notions in favor of contemporary design and organic forms.

Marc-Andre Fontaine’s work seeks to create links between tradition and contemporary art. According to Espace VERRE’s newsletter release about the show, Fontaine “delivers a playful testimony of his own life while paying homage to the sea and its navigators, and making references to the popular culture of his generation”, undoubtedly derived from his range of influences from remnants from the days of the Vikings to the works of modern-day graffiti artist Banksy and Swedish sandcast glass artist Bertil Vallien. 

Though she has only been with Espace VERRE for a few years, Valerie Paquin from the Communications & Marketing department says, "Personally, I find that every year, the underlying themes and sources in inspirations vary greatly…I’ve noticed that with every passing year, our graduating class raises the quality standards for the generations to come. There is a definite sense of pride in the works being created in the final year of the program, and I truly believe that it shows through in the pieces displayed in the end-of-program show." 

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