Smoke Signals and Radio Waves | Library Gallery | July 7 – September 1, 2023
Smoke Signals and Radio Waves, a 2021 work which consists of 20 small 2” x 2” linocut prints, limited edition of 10, was conceived in a moment of great contemplation, sitting next to my mother who, in palliative care, was living her last moments.
I remembered a radio she had in the early 1970s that not only had AM and FM but it also captured shortwaves. This meant that by simply playing around with the tuning dial, we could travel the world. Knowing that certain other frequencies are capable of infinitely traversing the universe, perhaps theoretically if I could just find the perfect frequency, I would be able to hear her and communicate with her. I thought, what if our existence reverberates through the universe like radio waves. Maybe this could be another way of sending messages to the other side, sort of like how incense used in liturgy from her catholic upbringing.
The work is presented as a series of symbols in small format with ample space around each one to give a sense of intimacy and to give a time to pause, a moment of silence. Rather than being individually titled, each image is numbered, representing the sequence in which it was conceived during the creative process. They are all part of one single work entitled Smoke Signals and Radio Waves.
Classical art and especially drawing has always been at the root of my artistic aspirations. Not in the sense that I wish to imitate anyone but there is an unquestionable legitimacy in the masters mark making so by borrowing certain of these elements I try to infuse my work with honesty and credibility.
Since I am an introverted person, my work tends to be very introspective and personal. They are never statements but rather questions or reflections.
I see an importance for both philosophy and aesthetics to be present in a work of art. There needs to be an emotional charge behind a logical expression and there needs to be logic behind an emotional expression.
These two elements need to seamlessly become one.
I tend to work mostly in black and white, not because I don’t appreciate color, on the contrary, I am blown away by how many artists can make incredible use of it. I, however, can only find any sort of clarity by keeping things as simple as possible. Lines and tones with lots of breathing space around the main subject give me a chance to break down what could otherwise be mixed up thoughts into simpler and more singular units.
Biography
Originally from Shediac New-Brunswick, Maurice Cormier discovered drawing as a young child browsing through his father’s encyclopedias. These simple black and white tiny lithographs on mat and slightly yellowed paper remain in the undercurrents of his artistic pursuits.
Later on, many years spent working on production lines, where machinery, repetition and patterns are predominant also left a definite mark.
Today he seeks to create a simple visual language through a blend of the beauty and expression of line and tone along with the credibility of classical techniques.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a major in photography and printmaking, Maurice has held solo and group art exhibits, as well as worked on book illustrations and various other visual projects. He considers himself to be an emerging artist and currently lives in Campbellton, New Brunswick.