The artists Jean-François Cooke and Pierre Sasseville live and work in Québec City, where they are known for the originality and relevance of their creations. Over the years, the duo has produced a number of large-scale projects, exploring a multitude of materials and a wide variety of techniques. Their art is marked with humour that is sometimes absurd, sometimes hard-hitting or cynical, drawing on themes that involve everyday concerns. Cooke-Sasseville’s work, based mainly on sculpture and installation, has been exhibited in a number of Québec galleries. They have presented their work in more than 10 solo exhibitions and participated in 20 major group events in Québec and Europe. They have created a number of works of public art, including Point de mire (2011), in Thetford Mines, and Le Mélomane (2011), which is in the Ville de Montréal’s collection of public art.
Artwork description
The “eggbeater” is situated in a space adjacent to the rear entrance to Centre Jean-Claude-Malépart, along Avenue Gascon. In this position, the artwork marks the presence of the centre, consolidating its link with the neighbourhood. Around the oversized kitchen implement is a circular red bench providing a place to sit and chat. Thus, this everyday object encourages people to meet and mingle. Like an eggbeater that incorporates ingredients, Centre Jean-Claude-Malépart brings together the residents of the Sainte-Marie neighbourhood. In this sports and community centre, “the whole” is in the image of its parts – a mixture of ages, cultures, and interests.