A multidisciplinary artist, Karole Biron explores the dynamic relationship between the body, its movement, its connection to space, and the states of consciousness that emerge from it. Her work has been exhibited in Quebec and abroad (Bulgaria, Mexico, Brazil, France, Belgium), as well as during artist residencies in Banff, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. She has given lectures and led workshops in Quebec, Norway, and Portugal, and has participated in numerous juries and studio critiques in both the visual arts and architecture. She has also created several public art pieces and was awarded the 2025 CodaAwards International Jury Prize in the Healthcare category for her work Portée.
Karole Biron holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts and a Master’s degree in Architectural Sciences, in which she explored the dynamic interplay between light and object. Her artistic work is influenced on various levels by her scientific expertise in the medical field. Her piece Portée (2022), created for the Montreal Heart Institute, represents a meeting point between art, materiality, science, and her knowledge of the body and anatomy.
She also served as editor-in-chief of the book Segments et Spécimens: réflexions sur la photographie et la médecine, published by Éditions J’ai VU.
Artwork description
The work occupies the main entrance and roof terrace of the Montreal Heart Institute. The title Portée refers to a dance movement. It is also synonymous with amplitude, oscillation, distance in architecture, or graphic range for writing musical notes.
The two monumental sculptures, measuring 10 and 7 meters in height, act as bridges across the building, diffusing light, movement, and energy.
At the crossroads of art, anatomy, and science, they form a visual and conceptual link, embodying the fluid, strong, and fragile movement of the human body. They reflect the complex beauty of its visible and invisible dimensions.
Macroscopically, on the scale of the building, the work is developed as forms in motion of extension, prolongation, stretching, and imbalance. The “microscopic” aspect is expressed, on a closer scale, by numerous textures and patterns that animate each area of the sculptures differently.
The work was developed with the intention of reflecting the medical world, where different areas of expertise come together in the service of a common goal: patient health. The sculptures were created using a variety of techniques (metalworking, assembly, art casting), in collaboration with several specialized workshops and artisans.
The artwork Portée for the Institut de cardiologie de Montréal won the international jury prize in the “Healthcare” category at the 2025 CodaAwards.