Référence : http://www.unb.ca/web/bruns/0304/07/entertainment/memhall.html (en date du 25 avril 2005)

A deeply inspired artist and long time contributor to the Fredericton art scene, Lucille Robichaud will be holding her latest showing at Memorial Hall, starting Friday, October 24th. Entitled Dermis: Repertoire of Sins, this show is sure to grab your attention, in more ways than one.

Filling both of the building's galleries, "three bodies of work" will be displayed, each radically different from the others, yet still incorporating the underlying theme of skin. Framed fish skins, "dysfunctional" bird nests, and chicken feet latexed with alder branches will be the trio of forms displayed.

"The name of dermis comes from epidermis, a series of pieces I did in the 80s," Robichaud explains when asked about the inspiration for her work. "I've been working with the concept of skin for 20 years. I'm interested in looking at things in terms of layering, as a natural progression."

"I think it is very appropriate for the time…and the society I live in. People attach all kinds of value to skin, race, age, [etc. It will appeal] on a variety of levels to a variety of people."

But, as you may have grasped by the pieces' descriptions, Robichaud's idea of skin and layering are not exactly typical.

"[It is] not everybody's definition of skin, and may not be what they actually expect," she commented about her art.

"I don't think people will really appreciate it. I think they will be disgusted, but if it's memorable, it's memorable… The smell is just the secondary experience, but I didn't do it to repulse them," she confided. "I never really think about [the audience], it never enters my mind. My goal is to make my work."

In fact, Robichaud's showing almost didn't happen.

"I really didn't wanted to show them, but [Art Centre coordinator] Marie Maltais saw the work by accident and wanted to show them. She has gone out of her way to accommodate my work."

In many ways, Robichaud is a true artist, because she "[doesn't] really care about the money," she says. "I do a lot of stuff because I feel it to be important."

In fact, although she doesn't encourage touching the art, she doesn't find it "very precious…because the crescendo, a burning of the pieces, will be the most important part." She produces art because she needs to, and showing it is only of secondary importance.

When asked what drives her, Robichaud frankly replied, "I just want to live a quiet, simple life, and still do my work, and that's the most important thing to me."

So if you're looking for a touch of real art, for a bit of the unusual combined with a bit of the exceptional, check out the Memorial Hall Galleries between October 24th and December 12th. You're sure to walk away with your skin crawling for more.