MARTINE MARIE-ANNE CHARTRAND
DRÔLE DE MÉNAGERIE MARTINE MARIE-ANNE CHARTRAND creates surreal images that contrast fact with fiction, and reality with the absurd.
Growing up in rural Aylmer, Quebec deeply influenced Martine Marie-Anne’s ideas and processes. Her connection to nature has forged strong convictions for environmental issues and invigorated her whimsical storytelling style. She describes her series Drôle de ménagerie as “visual cacophonies reflecting life in the 21st century.” She says, “my creative process explores the improvisation of collage. Pieces of images found in old magazines and books form larger ideas. The photos and illustrations I come upon suggest the direction of each work. The collage process is like a diary for me, where current events and personal daily life meet science, religion, and politics. Animals meld into humans, and contemporary life collides with nostalgia. There is no beginning, no end, and everything is in a state of constant flux. It’s a process of self-reflection, with a dash of fantasy.” Scissors, a camera, and a light table are Martine Marie-Anne’s only tools. No modifications using digital software [no Photoshop], just the joy of crafting her analog creations, including happy accidents along the way. She enjoys the transparency of the printed pieces she cuts out where unanticipated images bleed through backlit bases. Martine Marie-Anne notes that her collages are created without glue. This is a micro-step in the creation of her art through which she reduces her carbon footprint: a detail that contributes to her larger zerowaste journey.
LEFT PAGE: “Beautiful Florida,” 2018. THIS PAGE, TOP: “Triad” from the Taro series, 2019. THIS PAGE, BOTTOM: “Oblivious,” 2019.
martinemarieannechartrand.myportfolio.com photo ED 29
