Shining DESPAIR
Eliane-Catrie Blouin Achim
Canada

Bracelet “Shadows of compassion”, 2024
Bronze, liquid enamel, 90 mm diameter, 20 mm width, 13 mm thickness
Wax carving and lost wax casting
Photo : RL Black

Brooch “Sparkling sorrow”, 2024
Bronze, resin, pigments, 65 mm diameter, 25 mm thickness
Wax carving and lost wax casting, riveting
Photo : R.L. Black

« Rose Cochon »

With the Rose Cochon series, Éliane-Catrie Blouin Achim expresses a profound sense of despair by addressing the issue of animal ethics through works where beauty and discomfort coexist in tension. In her bronze jewelry-sculptures, clusters of pigs and calves are frozen into indistinct masses, suggesting the loss of individual identity.

Pink, traditionally associated with innocence, takes on an ironic tone here, transforming softness into a quiet, almost muted provocation. These works, both alluring and unsettling, evoke contradictory feelings that invite self-reflection. By exploiting this paradox between attraction and aversion, the artist sheds light on our blindness and complacency toward animal suffering. These pieces thus transcend mere adornments; they reflect our inner contradictions and invite us to question our relationship with all living beings.

More « Shining DESPAIR »

Shining Despair – Aya Iwata / Japan

The theme « Shining Despair » merges two opposing concepts: brilliance and despair.

Shining Despair – Arisa Inoue / Japan

It’s not uncommon for darkness to cast a shadow over the human heart.

Shining Despair – Wiebke Pandikow / Finland

Biodegradable plastic bags have been reworked into a basket-like object …

Shining Despair – Aimee Howard-Clinger / USA

The western world can be defined by the adage ‘knowledge is power’.

Shining Despair – Jina Seo / USA-South Korea

My work reveals inner conflict and suffering by contrasting societal expectations with the personal turmoil I often experience.

Shining Despair – Myriam Theveniaud / France

Transformation and chaos are deeply interconnected concepts …

Shining Despair – Misha McLean / Scotland

‘Repeat Prescription: 14mg’ embodies the quiet despair felt by those who rely on medication in order to sustain a healthy life.

Shining Despair – Spam Glam / UK

Extreme changes in my life have caused me so much anguish …

Shining Despair – Iris Merkle / Germany

Vital functions are usually listened to with a stethoscope …

Shining Despair – Jeanine van der Linde / Netherlands

In today’s world, where we face significant challenges …