Steve Giasson

Doctoral candidate, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Comedy. About Steve Giasson as Others/Steve Giasson comme les autres (in French)

Steve Giasson, Steve Giasson as Others/Steve Giasson comme les autres (2020)
Retouche photo/Digital retouching : Philip Gagnon
Crédit photo/Photo credit : Martin Vinette

In an original body of photographic works, titled Steve Giasson as Others/Steve Giasson comme les autres, the conceptual artist Steve Giasson—masked or with make-up—adopts the features of a surprising gallery of historical or fictional characters, with no apparent link between them. What do Yoda, Santa Claus, the Lone Ranger, Marcel Duchamp or Dante Alighieri actually have in common? True to the “appropriationist” mode of his work—as part of which he seeks to “[...] generate difference from extremely literal repetition” (as Sven Lütticken would perhaps put it)— Giasson restages before the camera a certain number of photographs by other artists who have influenced him and who have also portrayed themselves in costume throughout their career (Cindy Sherman, Haim Steinbach, Andy Warhol, Luigi Ontani, Suzy Lake, etc.) But why—after having carried out hundreds of minimalist and discreet actions (see his Performances invisibles (2015-2021))—is Giasson staging himself in such a theatrical manner? What act is he putting on? On what stage?

Steve Giasson is a conceptual artist. His engaged and deadpan practice draws on pre-existing works, historical or everyday fragments, which he appropriates in various ways, in order to shake up romantic notions of authenticity and originality. In addition, his works are characterized by a great economy of means and by their use of various mediums (conceptual writing, performance, sculptural micro-intervention, photography, video). He is currently pursuing a doctorate in research-creation (UQAM). His work has been presented in fourteen countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia, as part of a dozen personal exhibitions and many group exhibitions. He lives and works in Montreal and is represented by Edmund Felson Gallery (Berlin). Steve Giasson as Others/Steve Giasson comme les autres will be presented at Carleton University Art Gallery, from January 30 to May 8, 2022 (curator: Jean-Michel Quirion).

www.stevegiasson.com
www.performancesinvisibles.com
http://edmundfelson.com/