/////Back

|2025| FIGURE DE PROUE

Brass (bear), aluminium (boat hull).

Dimensions : 150 X 130 X 420 cm

Petite-Vallée’s Village en chanson (QC).

Singing louder than the sea... Singing louder than the fire.

The boat is made from 1/4” thick 5052-T6 aluminium, mechanically assembled to the figure of the bear, which is crafted from 1/8"-thick brass. Vertical ribs support the hull planks (horizontal strakes). The brass has been treated with a hot-applied patina—a chemical process that protects the material. The bear was first carved from wood, and the brass was then hand-beaten (shaped) over this matrix, which was subsequently removed.

This hybrid sculpture does not seek to dazzle; its essence lies in the realm of the sensitive—a small, personal story that touches upon poetry. The narrative within the work unfolds like a song, posing questions about identity. It is a tale of mutual aid and resilience, centered on a family from the Gaspé Peninsula—a unique place where life is still lived at a slower pace. My sculpture speaks of healing: the bear, serving as the boat’s figurehead—and symbolizing "medicine" within First Nations traditions—acts as a savior.

Photos : Michel Saulnier