Laurence Belzile

Biography

Born in Gaspésie (QC) in 1994, Canadian artist Laurence Belzile now lives and practices her art full-time in Vancouver (BC). She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University, with a major in painting and drawing, and a Master of Fine Arts from Université Laval. The artist strives to democratize abstract visual art, takes part in collaborations and creative residencies, and participates in auctions and art fairs. Since 2016, Laurence Belzile has presented her work in group and solo exhibitions across Canada, in various galleries including the Vernon Public Art Gallery (BC), Richmond Art Gallery (BC), Galerie Montcalm (QC), Centre d'art de Kamouraska (QC) and Galerie Champagne et Paradis (QC), which represents her. Her work has been supported by various prizes and bursaries, including the Canada Council for the Arts (2023-2024) and Québec City's Première Ovation measure (2019-2021). Her work is part of the public collection of the City of Boucherville and of the Méduse Collection of Québec City.

Artist Statement

My practice revolves around abstract painting and drawing.

I am particularly interested in the poetry that abstract imagery can convey, in what it evokes in terms of movement, sensitivity, emotion, and intensity.

My compositions are characterized by organic forms, often defined by curved lines that contrast with one another and create distinct spaces through plays of color. My works are primarily vertical. I aim to generate sensations through movement within the composition: such as elevation, descent, suspension, enclosure, opening, falling, heaviness, or lightness.

My approach to creation is deeply feminist. For a long time, I avoided foregrounding the emotional dimension of my practice, aware that in the artistic discourse, and particularly for women artists, emotion has often been considered simplistic, less legitimate than formal or theoretical concerns. I choose deliberately to reclaim this space: the translation of sensations and personal emotional experiences into visual forms is a powerful contribution, still too often overlooked. Through my work, I bring emotions out of the intimate sphere and inscribe them into the public space.