BIO

Chloe Corbeil Dragffy is a multi-disciplinary artist from Tiohtià:ke / Montreal. Her artistic practice reflects on the in-between spaces and the congruences of two seemingly opposing concepts.
She studied Illustration and Design at Dawson College and earned her BFA specialization in Art Education and is currently completing another BFA in Studio Arts at Concordia University. She works as a cultural and artistic mediator at the Montreal Fine Arts Museum, as a high school art teacher, and as a freelance artist. She aims however to dedicate herself fully to her studio practice.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My artistic practice is rooted in an animistic way of thinking/knowing and a belief in the power of unity. My paintings, installations and photography focus on the interconnection and interdependence between humans and natural elements. My work reflects on the in-between spaces of seemingly opposed concepts through the exploration of themes and subject matter that are polarized and oversimplified to fit certain narratives present in our society. I address issues regarding ecology, race, sexuality, motherhood, spirituality, addiction, etc. by intertwining them through psychological and biological aspects. This results in human/plant hybrids in which the distinctions between human characteristics and those of nature are blurred. The resulting mutations therefore stand as a symbol of survival through mutual cooperation.

I am interested in the personal and collective healing aspects of  the art making process through which  complex issues can be processed with empathy  in order to create a level plain field and a bridge between individuals, communities and species.  My process  adopts a decolonial approach where my personal history  enters in dialogue with researched universal concepts and symbolism in a way which dismantles any kind of hierarchy.  The materials I  work with vary from piece to piece and are chosen in direct relation to their affect and the specific subject matters addressed. My interest in dichotomies also translates through an uncanny aesthetic, which combines the beautiful and intriguing with the unsettling and repulsive. This in turn invites the viewer to reflect upon how two opposing sentiments can co-exist and remain valid.