Making a Fruit of Me – Molly Bertheaud

Exhibition: November 17 to December 21, 2023
Vernissage and artist-guided gallery tour: November 16 at 6 pm – Link to performance
‘Animal Embroidery’ – Art Hive with Molly Bertheaud: December 16 from 10:30 am to 1 pm

Why are swans and cranes mostly monogamous? What does it feel like to drop your eggs in a river like a dragonfly or a frog and have nothing more to do with your progeny? Who are humans, as animals, in these environments we’ve created?

The carnivalesque compositions of bird-women and other hybrid creatures in Molly Bertheaud’s interdisciplinary practice explore humans and animals’ societal evolution in conjunction with industrialization. From the Neolithic age to now, what have we become? Scientific advancements in women’s health and industrialization have changed how we view and negotiate our individuality. A womb and a baby complicate lofty societal aspirations, and the environmental consequences of our current relationship with textiles and materials are dire.

The artist explores ecological themes using zoological symbolism and science fiction, with a focus on the role of women and mothers, the fragile perishability of textiles and the histories they tell. Her practice highlights the tensions between our ideals and the limitations of our biological reality, challenging viewers to question how we can pursue our desires in a world of limited resources.

Molly Bertheaud (Canadian/American, b.1997) is an interdisciplinary artist who creates contemporary mythologies by integrating traditional techniques with modern technology. She has a background in industrial knitting, which she learned from her mother while growing up. Bertheaud has participated in exhibitions and artist residencies nationally and internationally, notably including the Wassaic Project in Wassaic, NY (2022), Field Projects in NYC (2023), Créer des Ponts Art Souterrain residency in Montreal (2022) and The Icelandic Textile Center, in Blönduós, Iceland (2021). In 2022 her work was supported by Canada Council and in September 2023 she participated in the 6th edition of Artch – Festival d’art contemporain émergent in Montréal. She holds a BFA from Emily Carr University and is pursuing an MFA at Concordia University.

This exhibition is part of Pictura, a Montreal event showcasing contemporary painting.
McClure Gallery thanks the Conseil des arts de Montréal for its financial support.