THE A. PIROIR STUDIO-GALLERY IS SPECIALIZED IN THE CREATION AND EXHIBITION OF FINE ART PRINTMAKING

Unique venue

We are pleased to present the Atelier-Galerie A. Piroir. Since 1975, we have been an intaglio printer, publisher of prints and artist’s books, and print media gallery owners. Two generations of printers work together at the studio. Alain Piroirʳᶜᵃ has passed on the love for the trade to his daughter Agatheʳᶜᵃ, who, after having worked on her own, joined her father in 2006. We are proud to provide Montrealers with a venue to enjoy print media. The gallery is giving the public an exceptional opportunity to explore contemporary printmaking in its creative context. The exhibitions are presented alongside presses in the studio, where the public will be able to watch the printers and artists at work. Art lovers will be able to see the creation of a print from start to finish.

As printers, our goal is to work collaboratively with artists who challenge our skills. Our practice involves advising, assisting and helping them produce their works, which requires an in-depth dialogue with them and an ability to creatively address the technical challenges of their art. We also endeavour to disseminate the creations of our artists. Our gallery’s mission is to exhibit print media by artists who have a contemporary approach. Our commitment has culminated in a partnership with the Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières, where the Prix Atelier-Galerie A. Piroir is awarded. Drawing on more than 48 years’ experience, our unique approach has earned us a reputation as print media experts.

GALLERY

The gallery’s mandate is to promote current print media artists and to bring their work to the general public.

Commited to promoting emerging artists and established artists, the gallery aims to present engaging exhibitions that attest to the great vitality and diversity that exists within all printmaking disciplines.

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12:00-6:00 or by appointment on Saturday and during workshop hours.

MONIQUE MARTIN EXHIBITION

Exhibition from Tuesday, June 24 to Saturday, July 26.

Opening reception on Wednesday, June 25 at 5:30 p.m.

The Space Between

Time curls in on itself and around itself with a sense of urgency that is invisible. Opportunity is given in its absence and in its space. Humans when faced with dark days can reach for interconnected structures that give them comfort and confidence. There are subtle nuances and intricacies that exist in the gaps between people, emotions and ideas. Everything is fundamentally interdependent; plants, earth, wildlife and people. A tendril on a pea plant reaches for support as it grows, trying to connect for strength and support.  If it does not find support, it curls into itself, and disconnects, falling to the ground.  It cannot use itself as a support structure which is often the same for humans. We need others. The need of being supported, held, comforted and cared for is ever present in the world in which we live.

 If time could stretch like a tendril on a vine we could suspend that last moment, but we never know when that last moment will happen. Sometimes the gap between what society could be and what can happen is as wide as the gap between a young tendril and a support structure. What is possible can exceed individual grasp, like climate change, homelessness, poverty or the economy. We can experience dark days by reaching too far on our own, and suffer a graceless fall like a tendril curled around itself on the ground, alone and unsupported. We continue to reach out to stretch our potential and interconnect to solve individual needs as well as global issues with endurance similar to a tendril.

Artist Statement 

Monique Martin’s artistic practice is inspired by the people in her life, the experiences she encounters, and the emotions she navigates. Her artistic journey flows multidirectionally, weaving forward, backward, and sideways without clear distinctions between beginnings and endings. Her creative path is marked by continuous evolution, where one series of works may seamlessly lead into another, exhibitions open and close, and ideas perpetually intertwine and grow. Martin embraces uncertainty in her process and acknowledges the pivotal moments—whether a new medium, an idea sparked in conversation, or an exhibition opportunity—that unexpectedly shape her trajectory.

Mishtikᵘ - L’arbre - The Tree

Text by Joséphine Bacon and engraving Terry Randu Awashish

2020 | 18 x 11 cm | relief | 40 prints | editor Faiseurs d’images

$800.00 CAD

Artists’ books

We only sell artist’s books in the style of the French tradition. Our works consist of texts, printed by hand in letterpress, and prints made using a variety of techniques: intaglio or wood engraving, lithography, linocut or screen printing. All books include a numbered colophon, signed by the writer and artist. To produce our works, it is essential to work collaboratively with them. We therefore usually approach one of the two creators and ask them to choose their partner. This stimulating, creative process results in our beautiful books, which we are pleased to present.