(dé)collage

At Galerie Sans Clous in Sault Ste. Marie, a table covered with images, paper, and scissors became a gathering place. Over the course of two months, people came on their own, in small groups, or through workshops to try collage-making, converse in French, and leave their mark.

Guided by artist Isabelle Michaud, participants selected, cut, and arranged images until they created their own compositions. Isabelle then brought these fragments together on the gallery wall, where the artwork grew with each visit.

Born from these gestures and conversations, (dé)collage celebrates the diversity of perspectives that make up the Francophonie of Sault Ste. Marie. Brought together in a single artwork, they give it its energy and open new horizons.

A Space to Create and Share Stories in French

As part of “50 ans de fierté ! Ensemble pour demain”, Isabelle Michaud transformed Galerie Sans Clous into a creative space open to Sault Ste. Marie’s Francophone community.

Around a table filled with images, paper, and scissors, participants could engage with the project in their own way. Some took part in workshops, while others joined spontaneously, either individually or in small groups. People came to try collage-making, but also to talk, observe, and share a moment in French.

In a city where Francophone artistic spaces are few in number, this gathering carried particular significance. The Francophonie was expressed through the images selected, the conversations shared, the welcoming atmosphere, and the simple act of creating together in the heart of a contemporary art gallery.

Collage offered everyone an accessible way to participate in the creative process. Isabelle Michaud guided participants at their own pace, while a meeting with artist Maryse Parant opened up new ways of exploring the medium and deepening reflection.

When Perspectives Meet on the Wall

Each collage emerged from a personal choice, an image that captured attention, or an unexpected association. As contributions arrived, Isabelle Michaud assembled them on the wall, working with shapes, colours, rhythms, and space.

Her artistic vision allowed each collage to retain its individuality while becoming part of a larger composition. The artwork thus brings together multiple ways of seeing, feeling, and imagining the Francophonie of Sault Ste. Marie.

The title (dé)collage evokes not only the technique itself, but also movement and an openness to new horizons. On the gallery wall, the fragments found a way to coexist, much like the journeys and voices that give the community its momentum.

A Gathering That Can Take Shape Again

After the exhibition, the composition was dismantled and the collages were carefully preserved. Documentation of the installation will make it possible to reassemble them in another location.

The artwork will therefore be able to take shape again elsewhere while preserving the memory of its original setting: a gallery where community members came together to create, exchange ideas, and affirm their place in French.