Styrofoam, insulation, plexiglass, concrete, foam, wood … and that final piece? It’s is embroidery on Tyvek {a synthetic material used to wrap houses during construction}. What?! Yes. This is the very powerful work of Montreal based, Algonquin-French artist Caroline Monnet. Her show, titled “R-Value”, is currently showing at Division Gallery in Montreal. Here is the exhibition description:

“For years, the housing situation in Indigenous communities has remained grievously unchanged. In remote regions with harsh winter conditions, construction materials can be scarce and expensive. Construction financing is cannibalized for repair and upkeep, while residents and local councils are excluded from decision-making. The result is generic housing, unattuned to its environment and bearing no resemblance to traditional dwellings. Caroline Monnet’s recent work grapples with colonialism’s impact, updating outdated systems with Indigenous methodologies. Combining contemporary building materials and patterns transmitted across generations, Monnet creates hybrid objects. Resembling city maps and bar codes as much as they do traditional weaving and beading, the patterns she prints on, weaves into, or cuts from insulation offers a glimpse back and a path forward.

Meticulous, beautiful, powerful. This work will be at Division until July 1, 2020.