Laurie Papou is a Canadian artist recognized primarily for the creation of large scale, realistic figurative paintings on wood panel. In her work she explores issues of intimacy and identity through situating the nude, specifically images of her and her partner, in landscapes of the Canadian west coast. The role of landscape in forging identity is a prevalent theme in her work. Gender conditioning and objectification inherent in images of the nude, in particular the female nude, is a concurrent theme.
To address historic and existing idealizations effect on sexuality, self-image and personal power her painting moved towards conceptual art to develop this narrative. For example, Vanity Suite is an installation of paintings that involve the viewer as voyeur. On opposing walls, a male figure watches three female figures perform a striptease in the ruins of a west coast clear cut. Unwittingly, the spectator walks into the unfolding drama of the dance and disrupts the scene when they enter the exhibition. Rather than each painting existing unto itself, each contributes to the whole event. The individual pieces must be experienced collectively to complete the story.
This work was the catalyst for the following multi media exhibition Storm. In Storm, video projection and sound combine with painting and sculpture to create installations that redefine her creative strategies. Tradition and technology layer as images cast onto paintings and sculpture replace traditional light sources. Irregular waves of illumination and movement mimic the relationship between intimacy and existence, creating a new visceral experience.
Recently Laurie has refocused on painting, concentrating on the simplicity and strength of geometry – specifically, the square and circle. One inscribed by the other forms a unique relationship that not only informs art and culture, but exists abundantly in nature. In this new work “naturally orbed objects” float within large (5’ x 5’) square, unprimed wood panels. Each square contains a single circular subject, the image of a cross section of a tree or a human iris. These spherical floating shapes metaphor the earth and planets, and like the mandala a complete circle and cycle.
born
1964, Vancouver, British Columbia
educated
1988, Graduated with Honours from Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, B.C. Currently lives and works in Vancouver, B.C.
selected solo exhibitions
2015
Perfect Geometry, Evergreen Art Gallery, Coquitlam, BC
2010
Storm, Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, BC
2009
New, Cascadia Fine Art, New York, NY
2008
New, Cascadia Fine Art, Vancouver, BC
2007
New, Yukon Art Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon
2000
Vanity Suite, Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1997
A Group of Seven, Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver, BC Catalogue with essay by Robin Laurence
1997
Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1995
Sport and Recreation, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1994
Body/Language, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1992
Nimbus, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1992
Laurie and Iain: Shift, Leo Kamen Gallery, Toronto, ONT
1991
Manifold, Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1990
Diane Farris Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1986
Adam’s Rib, Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, BC
selected group exhibitions
2014
Distance and Displacement, Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton BC
2011
Shore, Forest and Beyond, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC
2006
Paint, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC
2003
Regard a gauche/Looking left, articule, Montreal, PQ
2001
Vancouver Collects, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC
2000
Idyll, Nanaimo Art Gallery, Nanaimo, BC
Looking to the Future, Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1997
Naked Truth: The Figure in Contemporary Painting, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria BC – curated by Linda McNayr
1996
Women Figuring Women, Teck Gallery, Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, Vancouver BC
1994
’64-’94: The Contemporary Decades, Emily Carr College of Art & Design, Vancouver, BC
1993
London Young Contemporaries (National Touring Exhibition) – Curated by Barry Lord
1993
Artropolis ’93, Vancouver, BC – selected by Robin Laurence
1990
Artropolis, The Roundhouse, Vancouver, BC -Curated by Ann Rosenberg and Alan Wood
1988
Censorship Show, Emily Carr College of Art and Design, Vancouver, BC
Artist’s Choice, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby, BC Curated by Bill Featherston and Alan Wood Charles H. Scott Gallery, curated by Doris Shadbolt, Vancouver, BC
1984
Poco Rococo, Or Gallery, Coquitlam, BC -Curated by Ken Lum
lectures / artist talks
2014
Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton BC
2010
Penticton Art Gallery
1996
University of British Columbia
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
Art Fair /Seattle
1995
Diane Farris Gallery
1994
Diane Farris Gallery
1993
Vancouver Art Gallery
1992
Diane Farris Gallery
1991
Diane Farris Gallery
1990
Emily Carr College of Art and Design radio / television interviews
1997
Vancouver Television – Feature Interview Gabereau Live – October 13
CBC Radio 2 – Feature documentary on Radiosonic – September 13
1995
CBC-TV – Feature for Adrienne Clarkson Presents – October 25
CBC Radio – The Gabereau Show, Interview – October 11 z
CBC-TV – Midday, Profile – October 25
CBC Radio – Saturday, Interview by Paul Grant – September 23
1992
CJTR – Radio, Interview by Donald Bracket; Toronto, Ontario – February 19
selected collections
The National Portrait Gallery, Ottawa, ON
Audain Art Museum, Whistler, BC
The Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, BC
London Regional Art Gallery and Historic Museum, London, Ontario
Penticton Art Gallery, Penticton, BC
Yukon Art Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon
Vancouver General Hospital Foundation, Vancouver, BC
Seymour Collection, Vancouver, British Columbia
Polygon Group Ltd., Vancouver, BC
BC Women’s Hospital Foundation, Vancouver BC
selected bibliography
Amos, Robert. “The Nude is Back in Fashion”, The Victoria Times Colonist, June 31, 1997.
Boulanger, Annie. “Youthful artist shocks viewers at BAG”, Burnaby NOW, May 1988.
Featherstone, Bill. Artpost Magazine, April/May, 1987.
Godley, Elizabeth. “Up and Coming”, The Vancouver Sun, April 15, 1989.
—–. “Four New Painters”, The Vancouver Sun, August 23, 1988.
—–. “Adam’s Rib”, The Vancouver Sun, November 8, 1986.
Harris, Mark. C Magazine: Spring 1993
Johnson, Eve. “Poco Rococo”, The Vancouver Sun, June 5, 1984.
Laurence, Robin. “Mixed Media”, Canadian Art Magazine, Fall 1995
—–. “Decoding the Language of Desire”, The Vancouver Sun, March 19, 1994
—–. “Not necessarily the best of ’94, The Vancouver Sun, December 31, 1994
—–. “Lineages and Linkages-Artropolis ’90”, Artpost Magazine, Spring 1991.
Lord, Barry. London Life Young Contemporaries Catalogue, Fall 1993.
Mui, Winny. “Review of Body/Language”, Ming Pao Daily News, March 21, 1994.
Perry, Art. “Fresh Approach to Flesh”, The Province, May 1, 1989.
—– “Emerging Artists ’88”, The Province, November 21, 1988.
Rosenberg, Ann. “Harmonious Figures that Celebrate the Body”, The Vancouver Sun, May 11, 1991.
“A Touch of Humanity”, The Vancouver Sun, November 28th, 1992.
Sanroman, Lucia. “The Nude as Metaphor”, Monday Magazine, June 12, 1997.
Scott, Michael. “Papou Paints Classical Path through a Westcoast Eden”, The Vancouver Sun, October 5, 1995.
“Uncaging the Sexual Animal”, The Vancouver Sun, September 3, 1997
“Exulted in Art”, The Vancouver Sun, December 31, 1997.
Shaw, Gillian and Scott, Michael. “BC’s Top 25 Most Influential: Next Wave”, The Vancouver Sun, January 5, 1998.
Taylor, Kate. The Globe and Mail, February 14, 1992.