COOKE-SASSEVILLE : AGAINST ALL ODDS

Against All ODDS

Curated by Julia Caron Guillemette

Irreverent since the year 2000, Cooke-Sasseville has been known for making artworks that blend absurdity and wonder with a touch of dark humour. Embodying the figure of the two-headed narrator, the duo creates works that are like freeze-frames, and invite us to build their stories along with them. Seductive, their works lure us in with their aesthetic and their nod to pop culture. But once they’ve captivated us, they surprise us at the next turn.

The verdant tree carries dynamite instead of fruit. The hunter points his rifle at his own reflection in the mirror. Because beyond their reputation as jokesters, Cooke-Sasseville remain staunch critics. And they invite us to reflect on some of the mechanisms of our society, sometimes against all odds.

COOKE-SASSEVILLE

Comprised of Jean-François Cooke and Pierre Sasseville, Cooke-Sasseville have been active on the visual arts scene for twenty-five years. Deliberately paradoxical, their work confronts viewers with ambiguous scenarios where social critique is delivered in amusing ways. They have been featured in over twenty solo exhibitions and many group shows throughout Canada and internationally, and have produced more than forty public artworks in cities across Québec and Canada. Their work has won several awards, notably the Public Art category of the 2018 Architectural Merit Prize from the City of Québec, and is included in numerous collections, including those of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, and the Musée de la civilisation.