Michel Duguay exhibits at the Assumption Gallery

6/28/2013 12:00:00 AM

A collection of paintings by artist Michel Duguay inspired by popular French expressions will be on display at the Assumption Gallery as of July2. After creating a series of works based on famous Acadian legends and songs, Duguay is now bringing colourful figures of speech to life with this exhibition entitled Sortir de sa coquille, running until the end of August.



Combining his passion for the French language and his love of visual arts, Duguay brings us his interpretation of well-known and commonly used phrases in Acadian French, including Vider son sac (get something off one’s chest), Peser ses mots (weigh one’s words) and Sortir de sa coquille (come out of one’s shell), which is also the name of the exhibition.



In his work, Duguay, who teaches French at Polyvalente Louis-Mailloux in Caraquet, likes to surprise people, spark their interest and make them think. “With this collection, I can have a bit of fun, express criticism and get certain messages across. There’s more to these paintings than meets the eye,” says Duguay. Some of the phrases he chose were suggested by the public, others by his students, and come from various regional dialects. “People are often surprised by my interpretation of the expressions they recommend. I like getting them to contemplate the impact of these words and appreciate how rich in meaning they are,” he admits.



The Acadian Peninsula–based artist has depicted over three hundred phrases on canvas in the past few years. A small character figures prominently in each of the paintings in this series, uniting the world of words and the world of images and successfully establishing a connection with people of all ages.

Michel Duguay’s Sortir de sa coquille collection will be on display at the Assumption Gallery all summer long. The Assumption Gallery exhibits works of contemporary, modern and popular art, works based on history and folklore and sculptures and photographs by professional Canadian artists. Six two-month exhibitions are presented every year. The Gallery is located at 770 Main Street in Moncton, on the ground floor of Assumption Place, and is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.