Biography

Arthur Desmarteaux is an interdisciplinary artist based in Montreal Canada who graduated from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) BFA in visual and new media arts in 2004. He later obtained an MFA degree in Print Media concentration from Concordia University in Montreal in 2017. Throughout the last fifteen years, he exhibited his artworks in several galleries across Canada and internationally. In Summer 2019, he was invited to do a residency and exhibition at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea where he created a large-scale photomontage inspired by the landscapes of Seoul. He also previously created multidisciplinary pieces in Australia, Mexico, France and Ireland during artistic residencies and exhibitions. In 2013, he represented Canada as a visual artist at the 7th Games of la Francophonie held in Nice, France. The installation piece titled Micropolis 2.0 he created with his partner Allison Moore was exhibited extensively, notably at the Museum of Fine Arts of Belem in Brazil as part of do Norte ao Norte exhibition in 2014.

His recent exhibition titled The Temple of the Glorious is humorously evoking the religion of hockey in Québec and was exhibited in several galleries in Montreal area as well as at Artcite center in Windsor Ontario. Arthur received research and creation grants from Canada Council for the Arts and Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec.

Artisitic statement

Desmarteaux privileges a total freedom of action, playfulness and a dark humor within his colorful drawings and installations. He unfolds a personal mythology by intermingling realism and fantastical representations. His principal inspiration derives from the Pop Art and « figuration narrative » or neo-expressionism. Jean Dubuffet, Robert Combas and Jean-Michel Basquiat are some of the artists whom inspire his creations. His subjects are taken from everyday life in the city, the pictures broadcasted by mass-media, the graphic style of retro video games, theatre plays, history of cinema, among others. He often refers to art history and popular culture in his pieces.

His next piece will involve a multi-channel audiovisual installation and puppet show inspired by the new music of the spheres and recent astronomical discoveries. It will be presented at Oboro artist run center in March 2021 as part of Casteliers International Puppetry Festival. In this project, there will be an exploration of multi-channel electronic soundtracks as well as video mapping technologies.

Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google
en_GB