"On the Surface of Things"
Dominique Gaucher, "On the Surface of Things," 2006, oil on canvas, 48" x 48".
DOMINIQUE GAUCHER
Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver
Opens October 21, 2006
By Beverly Cramp
“The painter should paint not only what he has in front of him, but also what he sees inside himself. If he sees nothing within, then he should stop painting what is in front of him.” ~ Caspar Friedrich
From his Montreal studio in a working commercial warehouse, Dominique Gaucher mentions two artists who inspire him: controversial British artist Damien Hirst (b. 1965) and the German Romantic painter Caspar Friedrich (1774 – 1840). While more than a century separates these two figures, it speaks to the breadth and depth of Gaucher’s work. His figurative oils on canvas often portray either himself or his studio helpers. Gaucher’s paintings also layer images, tricking the eye with impossible scenes like a glacier in his studio. “I use layers of representation because that is where the meaning comes from,” he says. “A lot of my paintings deal with the questions at the forefront of my mind. There are big events going on outside my studio, yet here am I inside this little space with my paintings.” Gaucher painted for more than 20 years doing backdrops for the movie industry before completing an MFA at the Université du Québec à Montréal in 1999.
Represented by: Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver; Gallerie de Beaufeuille, Montreal.
