The power of small-scale art
International artists explore intimacy through scale in Eyes Wide Open
In a world accustomed to grand spectacles and large-scale pieces of art, opting for an exhibition featuring small-scale paintings and sculptures can seem like an unusual choice.
Yet, the exhibition Eyes Wide Open challenges that expectation, revealing how modest dimensions can hold incredible expressive power. Rather than overwhelming the viewer, the words demand closeness, patience and attention, rewarding those willing to slow down.
The show features 23 artists from around the world, allowing different perspectives and diverse life stories to be shared, creating an intimate and varied experience for each viewer.
For many of these artists, creating small art is the new gateway to creative freedom. Denise Buisman Pilger, an abstract artist from the Netherlands, finds freedom and self-expression in reduced scale. Working with smaller canvases has permitted her to release herself from expectations.
In our world, it behooves us to be very open to small formats. How can somebody in a very limited space say so much with so little space? — Norman Cornett
“I used to work [with] very, very large [pieces] all the time, and that comes with a lot of pressure," Pilger said. "A big piece is a big investment, so there’s always this voice in the back of your head saying, ‘This has to work, this has to be good.’”
For others, scale itself is not an important factor in the work.
For Korean-born abstract painter Song Yi Song, large and small pieces require an equal amount of commitment and time. Similarly, Guatemalan artist Maria Isabel Rodriguez says she uses small-scale art as a testing ground, a space to explore techniques and emotions that later inform larger works.
Bringing together such a diverse collection of pieces, however, was no small feat.
For curator and professor Norman Cornett, the focus on small-format work is integral to his vision. The inclusion of numerous global artists creates a visual symphony, a dialogue between each and every work, despite them never encountering each other. He views small-scale not as a limitation, but as a chance to communicate meaning.
“In our world, it behooves us to be very open to small formats. How can somebody in a very limited space say so much with so little space?" Cornett said. "For me, that’s poetry. That’s an economy of means. It’s saying the most with the least."
Cornett also faced the challenge of arranging the exhibition itself. By carefully juxtaposing works through colour, form and aesthetic, he encourages viewers to move slowly through the space, noticing subtle relationships between pieces that might otherwise go unseen.
Throughout Eyes Wide Open, visitors are invited to engage in an intimate dialogue with the artwork.
Gilles Bissonnet’s wood and metal sculptures draw attention from the moment you step into the gallery. Daniela Fetea’s tiny canvas evokes memory and fragility, while Daniela Muset’s monochromatic works reflect everyday life and Montreal’s multicultural reality. That connection to the city is echoed in Claude Gauthier’s street photographs, printed on wood, capturing moments of urban texture and street art.
The emphasis on small-scale work completely changes the experience one can have with art.
“[It’s] sort of like if you were in front of an orchestra and then one instrument is playing, but it’s beautiful. The music is there,” said artist Sonia Roseval, whose work was displayed in the exposition.
“All of a sudden, you have the whole orchestra playing. If you get close to one of them, you’re able to go on a trip inside of it, like really get into it,” Roseval added.
For attendees like José Lagacé, a roadside representative, her interest in the exhibition came from both personal and emotional resonance. Initially attending to support her friend, Jackie Lacoursière, Lagacé found herself especially drawn to Gauthier’s photographs.
“This is an art form that resonates with me, that represents me, and I find it very, very beautiful," Lagacé said. "It’s an art form that I love, so refined, so full of style.”
The exhibition also features the work of artists such as Clémence Boucher, Erik Nieminen, Kimpov Eap and Kimetarx.
Eyes Wide Open closed its doors at Galerie Éclats 521 on Jan. 12. More information on the gallery’s upcoming vernissages and expositions can be found at https://www.eclats521.ca/.
