Julien Russell Perreault grew up in Le Bic, a small village bordered by the St. Lawrence River and its islands, a few hundred kilometers from the Capitale-Nationale. He taught himself to paint, lulled by the artistic influences of his aunts, painter and photographer Céline Côté and percussionist, composer, and improviser Danielle Palardy Roger. He was fascinated by the Quebec’s famed Automatiste movement, Canadian Arctic, and the resonance of industrial architecture in the work of Marc Gosselin.
Perreault has always been drawn to the natural world. After years spent studying arts and literature, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Naval Combat Information Operator. His military service had a profound influence on his artistic career. The people he met and faraway places he saw continue to keep his creative flame burning brightly. His work has received international acclaim. Most notably, he won a silver medal at the 51st CAPSQ International Exhibition and Contest in Paris. His most recent statement is the series “Into the Woods”, a reflection on wildfires and climate change.
While Perreault’s work often explores the grandeur of nature, he is equally concerned with humanity’s increasing detrimental effect on the health of the planet. He is determined to use his work to call attention to the impending climate catastrophe and inspire meaningful change before it is too late.
Searching for pure and liberated expression, with no criticism of the movement of thought, Perreault questions the place of affectivity in the study of forms and materials. He works in successive layers, letting body movements compose their own narrative. He uses natural and/or recycled materials such as sand, hemp, plastic, porcelain, and glass to produce his body of work.
This gives his work a highly distinctive voice - unique to Perreault but belonging to the world at large. He continues to explore new ways of bringing his visions to life while remaining a passionate advocate for climate action.
“I find inspiration in the news from yesterday and today. The consequences of climate change are everywhere. All you have to do is open your eyes – or use Google - to see it happening. The planet is sending alarm signals to humanity, which in turn is constantly sweeping them away with the back of its hand.”
