"Big Other" by Pierre & Marie

Big Other is a public art piece by the collective Pierre&Marie that creates the illusion of buildings coming to life by adding enormous expressive eyes to them. These giant eyes immediately capture the attention of passersby, creating an experience that is both playful and intriguing.

Pierre&Marie's journey reflects a desire to democratize contemporary art by offering varied experiences both in public spaces and specialized venues. Big Other was initially created for the public art route Passages Insolites, designed by EXMURO arts publics for the City of Quebec.

This presence of gazes, sometimes benevolent, sometimes oppressive, refers to George Orwell's Big Brother. This famous character first appeared in his novel titled 1984, published in 1949, which denounces absolute political control. The most famous film adaptation, featuring the character of Big Brother, is the British film by Michael Radford, first released in theaters in 1984.

Artistic Parallel

The creation Big Other by Pierre&Marie refers to our ambiguous relationships with social networks in the era of digital surveillance policies. Under seemingly harmless appearances, digital platforms observe us to feed industries that guide and condition our behaviors.

Since 2008, the Quebec duo Pierre&Marie, composed of Pierre Brassard and Marie-Pier Lebeau Lavoie, has been manipulating symbols of popular culture to highlight the strangeness of our contemporary societies and the lightness that lies within them. Their work, which advocates a necessary need for wonder, has also been the subject of major solo exhibitions at the Musée Régional de Rimouski and Espace 400e.

Self-taught 

Coming from the crafts sector, Pierre Brassard and Marie-Pier Lebeau Lavoie live and work in Quebec. Since 2008, they have formed the multidisciplinary artist duo Pierre&Marie, with over thirty solo and group exhibitions to their credit. Their work has been showcased in various museums, artist centers, cultural houses, galleries, and public spaces in Quebec, France, the United States, Korea, and Taiwan. 

Awards

Recipients of the Public Art Awards (2023 and 2024) and the Videre Creation Award in visual arts (2023) at the arts and culture excellence awards, they prioritize inclusive projects and are concerned with all types of audiences. Echoing the collective issues (notably environmental) of our society, their work is supported by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Distribution

Their works are part of numerous private, public, and institutional collections, including those of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the Desjardins collection, the City of Longueuil collection, and the City of Laval.

Social Media (external link)

Pierre&Marie Collective

Several buildings appear alive, adorned with large cartoonish eyes, even at night. The personified architecture piques curiosity: is it trying to present us with a new perspective or is it spying on our behavior?

The eyes of Big Other discreetly observe passersby from above. The second gaze of the journey, they seem to discover the city as much as they contemplate it.

Perched on the façade of the town hall, these gazes dominate the urban landscape. Visible from the boulevard, they seem to discreetly watch over the city center and welcome those arriving in Hull.

These eyes seem to share the stories, laughter, and discoveries that have brought this cultural place to life for ten years now.