Karine Payette
Terre en vue
2021
Presentation of the artwork
Terre en vue is an installation designed to provide children with a play area that is both real and imaginary. The work is composed of seven figurative elements made of brightly coloured painted aluminum and a painting on the ground evoking waves of water. This playful sculptural arrangement features a panda and a polar bear, which Payette sees as powerful symbols of conservation of species and the fragility of ecosystems. Looking out from the prow of a small Mediterranean boat, the two companions are accompanied by a duo of dolphins swimming in deep-blue water. They all seem to be navigating toward a future promised land.The work pays tribute to immigrants, particularly those who helped to shape the identity of this neighbourhood and, more broadly, the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
Furthermore, with a concern for adopting eco-friendly practices, Payette enlisted the services of the cooperative Compensation CO2 Québec, which planted four trees to neutralize greenhouse-gas emissions produced by creation of her artwork for Parc du Centenaire-de-Parc-Extension.
Associated events
The work is associated with the context of the 2019 renovation of Parc du Centenaire-de-Parc-Extension, in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough. The name of the park memorializes the hundredth anniversary of the annexation of Parc-Extension to the city of Montréal, celebrated in 2010.
Karine Payette
Karine Payette holds a master’s degree in visual and media arts from the Université du Québec à Montréal (2012). In her practice, she uses mainly sculpture and installation to create environments that bring to light connections between the concepts of identity and habitat. Her works are included in the collections of the Montreal Museum of fine Arts, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (Prêt d’œuvres d’art collection) and the Ville de Montréal. Working in public art since 2015, she has produced projects for schools, libraries, and parks in Québec.