Maryse Goudreau
Multidisciplinary Gaspesian artist Maryse Goudreau began a long cycle of work on belugas in 2012. She studies their behaviors, their political and poetic significance, dives with them, films them, and captures their sounds. Hers is an exhaustive archive. As part of an ecofeminist approach, her hybrid work combines photography, video, installation, performance, visual arts, writing and documentary research. Beginning with Histoire sociale du beluga (2016), the artist meticulously collates statements made in the Quebec Legislative Assembly over nearly 100 years. Dans le ventre de la baleine (2019) is an immersive sound and touch installation that simulates the sensations felt during underwater dives with belugas. Recognized for her long-term investigations into specific territories, Goudreau is the recipient of the Lynne-Cohen Prize (MNBAQ) in 2017 and the Prix de l’artiste de l’année en Gaspésie, awarded by CALQ in 2020.