Longing To Tell
(Reconstructed Memories)

Arts Sutton presents multidisciplinary artist François Morelli’s new exhibition

By Andrew Burlone

July 24, 2024

Offering a fascinating immersion into the artist’s graphic universe, François Morelli’s exhibition Longing to Tell (Reconstructed Memories) is on display from July 25 to September 8, 2024, at the Arts Sutton contemporary art center gallery.

Through his works, Morelli explores narrative reconstruction by recomposing stories and associating them with imaginary spaces that evoke tangible bodily experiences. His technique, combining rubber stamps and freehand drawing on paper, gives his creations a unique and captivating visual texture.

Morelli explores narrative reconstruction by recomposing stories and associating them with imaginary spaces that evoke tangible bodily experiences.

The exhibition is divided into two distinct bodies of work, each reflecting a specific period and context in the artist’s life. The first set comprises lyrical and dreamlike drawings, created before the pandemic in Morelli’s Montreal studio. These works, imbued with a certain urban quality, reflect the artist’s creative environment at that time and his state of mind then, perhaps offering a nostalgic glimpse of a pre-pandemic world.

The second body of work, more recent, takes the form of a drawn frieze on paper. Created over the past three years and completed in 2024, this piece marks a transition in Morelli’s life and work. Produced in his new environment, the Laurentian village of Val-Morin, this frieze might reflect the influence of a more rural and natural setting on his art.

This contrast between the two bodies of work offers visitors a unique opportunity to observe the evolution of Morelli’s style and themes while exploring how changes in environment and global events can influence artistic practice.

Narrative constructivism

Narrative constructivism is a theoretical approach that revolutionizes our traditional understanding of stories and narratives. Rather than viewing them as fixed and autonomous entities, this perspective considers them dynamic constructions, shaped by a complex network of interactions. These interactions occur on multiple levels: between individuals, within social groups, and across the various cultural layers that make up our society.

‘Narrative constructivism invites us to consider stories as collective constructions, reflecting our interpersonal relationships and our sociocultural environment.’

From this perspective, a story is never “complete” or definitive. It is constantly reinterpreted and reconstructed through exchanges between the narrator and their audience, as well as through the various readings individuals make over time. Thus, the meaning of a narrative is not inherent to the text itself but emerges from these multiple and varied interactions. Each new reading, discussion, and adaptation of a story contributes to altering its significance and scope.

Narrative constructivism also emphasizes the importance of cultural and social context in creating and interpreting stories. Social norms, cultural values, and personal experiences of individuals play a crucial role in how a story is told, understood, and transmitted.

This approach invites us to consider narratives not as absolute truths, but as collective constructions, reflecting our interpersonal relationships and our sociocultural environment. It thus opens up new perspectives for understanding how stories shape our reality and how, in turn, we shape these stories through our interactions.

François Morelli

François Morelli is a renowned Quebec artist born in Tiohtià:ke, the Indigenous name for Montreal, which immediately highlights the importance of roots and cultural identity in his journey.

His artistic career officially began in 1975 when he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University. This academic training laid the foundation for what would become a rich and diverse career, marked from the beginning by an innovative and multidisciplinary approach.

‘Recipient of numerous grants and residencies, François Morelli has been performing and exhibiting his works since 1977.’

Morelli’s work spans various artistic disciplines, including drawing, sculpture, installation art, and performance art. Since the 1970s, he has been exploring the connections between art and society, with his artistic approach combining past events, current political climates, and historical references.

His art addresses the ties between personal and collective memories, as well as notions of transition, metamorphosis, and cyclicality. Morelli’s creative process often involves daily drawing in notebooks, akin to keeping a personal diary, which provides insight into his artistic development over time.

Morelli’s work has been recognized and exhibited widely, including a retrospective exhibit in Old Montreal in 2017. His contributions to the art world have made him a significant figure in Quebec’s contemporary art scene.

Longing To Tell (Reconstructed Memories)

Arts Sutton Contemporary Art Center Gallery
7 Academy Street, Sutton (Québec) J0E 2K0
Open Thursday to Sunday, 1 to 5 pm

info@artssutton.com • 450-538-2563

Vernissage: Sunday, July 28, at 2 pm
Artist presentation at 2:30 pm

Image: Courtesy of Arts Sutton

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