painting men in suits, drawing pain in thoughts
In a world teetering on the edge of collapse, Louise Campion’s work delves into the emotional and psychological dimensions of survival. Through painting, drawing, and writing, she interrogates the complex terrain of power, social violence, and ecological crisis. Her curent painting series, Wondering if men in suits turn me on or piss me off (sometimes called The attractive value of greed), peel back the polished veneer of corporate aesthetics, exposing the emptiness and contradictions beneath. By focusing on the body language of authority—how it manifests in posture, gesture, and presence—Louise invites the viewer to question the ideals upheld by systems of control and dominance. The figures in her work, often exaggerated in their poses, challenge us to reconsider the authority we have been taught to revere, and illuminate the pedestal we are keeping our oppressors on.
In contrast, Louise’s drawings, The human head is really heavy, offer a quieter, more personal space—one in which vulnerability and spontaneity take center stage. Using red ink on handmade paper, she draws from intuition and personal connection, capturing moments of comfort and solace: the faces of friends, the places that soothe, the intimate fragments of daily life. These works are an invitation to reconnect with raw emotion, to express what is often too difficult to articulate. They serve as a reminder that, as cliché as it might sound, we are not alone in our struggles.
Sustainability is central to Louise’s practice, not only in the materials she uses but also in the philosophy of slowness that informs her creative process. She hand-makes, hand-mixes, repurposes and recycles what she can, and employs traditional techniques that resist the quick consumption and relentless pace of the modern world. For her, this deliberate slowness is more than a practical choice—it is a form of resistance, a way to reclaim time, intention, and autonomy in a culture that demands more, faster. It is a commitment to making art that is both mindful in its creation and meaningful in its impact.
At the heart of Louise’s practice lies an exploration of resilience. How do we continue to create, to feel, to connect, when the world around us seems so fractured? Her work asks this question, offering both solace and action, as she seeks to understand what it means to be human in an uncertain time. In this uncertainty, Louise believes that art can be a space of both confrontation and possibility— where we may, perhaps, find a way forward.
Louise Campion is a Montreal (Tiohtià:ke - Mooniyang; Canada) based French artist and writer. She has exhibited works internationally, in galleries such as The Untitled Space (NYC, USA) or WASPS South Block Gallery (Glasgow, UK). She was part of notable art initiatives such as Artch Montreal, Art Souterrain Festival, the International Festival of Films on Art, amongst others. She holds a BFA in Studio Art (with distinction) from Concordia University and just completed her MFA (with distinction) from the Glasgow School of Art, for which she was awarded The Ranald and Jennifer May Postgraduate Painting Scholarship. Campion maintains a studio practice through grants and residencies, that she pairs with researched jobs, stimulating projects, curation and writing. She recently organized exhibitions at the Pipe Factory and the New Glasgow Society (Glasgow), and published essays for ISSAY magazine (Calgary, Ca) and Céline Bureau.
CV
Selected Solo & Duo Exhibitions
2022 Human Nature (with Emily Comeau), Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery, Dawson College, Montreal, Ca
2020 (Online) Exploring the notions of the gaze with Louise Campion, Curated by Margot Chambon
2018 La Banalité du Mal (with Louise Laborie), Salle Vasse, Nantes, Fr
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Graduate Showcase, The Glue Factory, Glasgow, UK
2024 Salon des Inclusions, Annex Gallery, Glasgow, UK
2024 Do you know who I am?!, South Block Gallery, Glasgow, UK
2023 HFBK x GSA, Hochschule für bildende Künste, Hamburg, DE
2023 GSA x HFBK, The Glue Factory, Glasgow, UK
2023 Dialogues on Solitudes, GSA CPCA, Barnes, Glasgow School of Art, UK
2023 SWATCHED x Blush, The Pipe Factory, Glasgow, UK
2023 L'art est au 3ème, Granby, Ca
2023 MFA Interim Show, Reid Gallery, Glasgow School of Art, UK
2023 Weird Era Group Show, Anteism Books Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2023 Screw it, Do Something n.2, Barnes Garage, Glasgow School of Art, UK
2022 in (Vested) Interest, Curated by GSA MLitt Curatorial Practice, Window on the Mack, Glasgow, UK
2022 True Stories, The Untitled Space, New York, USA
2022 Art Cible, Atelier Galerie 2112, Montreal, Ca
2021 Les Liens Futurs, Art Souterrain Festival, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Ca
2021 Shape, Sequence, Story, Somewhere Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 L’ailleurs est ici, Moroccan Cultural Center Dar Al maghrib, Vues d'Afrique Festival, Montreal, Ca
2021 Connecting Creative Youth Through the Arts, (Online) YES Montreal, Ca
2020 Ribboned Rainbow, Jano Lapin Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2020 ARTCH Emerging Art Market, Dorchester Square, Montreal, Ca
2020 Looking Forward to, (Online) Anton Art Center, Mount Clemens, USA
2019 Site of the Not Yet, Peripheral Hours, Montreal, Ca
2019 Graduating Students Exhibition, FOFA Gallery, Montreal, Ca
Public Art
2024 (ongoing) MassivArt x Royal Mount, Montreal, Ca
2022 Normes de la femme qui veut mordre dans son pain, Espace Sensible, Artch x Le LOBE, Chicoutimi, Ca
Residencies, Fairs & Programs
2023 Parle-moi d'amour, Les Impatients Benefit Auction, Diane Dufresne Art Center, Repentigny, Ca
2022 Jano Lapin x Desjardins Artist Residency, Jano Lapin Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 FIFA International Festival of Films on Art, Benefit Auction, BYDealers Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 Créer des ponts Artist Residency, Art Souterrain Festival, Montreal, Ca
2021 Pour des peanuts, Online Auction, Montreal, Ca
2021 Connecting Creative Youth through the Arts, YES Montreal with the support of the Government of Canada, Montreal, Ca
2020 FIFA International Festival of Films on Art, Benefit Auction, BYDealers Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2020 Les Encans de la Quarantaine, Online Auction, Montreal, Ca
2020 ARTCH Emerging Art Market by Art Souterrain, the CAM and CJE Centre-ville, Montreal, Ca
2018 Art Auction Fundraiser, VAV Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2018 Brushes with cancer 2018, Twist out cancer, Rialto Theatre, Montreal, Ca
Teaching, Talks and Panels
2022 Installation Workshop, Curatorial Incubator, Dawson College Visual Arts Department x Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery, Montreal, Ca
talk
2022 Artist Talk, Curatorial Incubator, Dawson College Visual Arts Department x Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 Discussion Panel, La dualité entre l'art, l'artisan et l'artisanat, Art Souterrain Festival, Montreal, Ca
2021 Workshop, Tips and tricks for an ecological and economical painting practice, Art Souterrain Festival, Montreal, Ca
2020-2021 Mentor, Fine Arts Student Alliance mentorship program, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
2020 Discussion Panel, La sensibilité de la matière, Les Encans de la quarantaine, Montreal, Ca
2018 Art teacher/Animator for Sheltoons, Socrates-Demosthenes III School, Montreal, Ca
Awards & Grants
2024 Acquisition and marketing in visual arts grant, Arts and Letters Council of Quebec, Ca
2024 Student Initiated Project Fund, in collaboration with Blake Ballard, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2023 Student Initiated Project Fund, in collaboration with Blake Ballard, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2023 Student Initiated Project Fund, on behalf of my MFA cohort, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2022-2024 The Ranald and Jennifer May Postgraduate Painting Scholarship, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2020 ARTCH Production grant, from Art Souterrain, the CJE centre-ville and the CAM, Montreal, Ca
2018 Winner, Postcard design competition, VAV Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2018 Individual Special Project Grant, Fine Arts Student Alliance, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
Curatorial Experience
2024 Curator, SWATCHED x Sterling, The Haberdashery Gallery, Glasgow, UK
2024 Curator, SWATCHED x Cool, New Glasgow Society, Glasgow, UK
2023 Gallery Technician Assistant, Reid Gallery, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2023 Curator, SWATCHED x Blush, The Pipe Factory, Glasgow, UK
2021 Curator, I'm fucking vegetarian!!!, Bifteck Bar Saint Laurent, Montreal, Ca
2019 Curator, How you remember, Eastern Bloc, Montreal, Ca
2019 Curator, Look what you made me do, Espace 8, Art Matters Festival, Montreal, Ca
2017-2019 Juror, Special Project Grants, Fine Arts Student Alliance, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
2016 Volunteer, Biennale d’art contemporain de Montreal, Ca
Related Experience
2025- (ongoing) Administrative Clerk, Visual Art Centre, Montreal, Ca
2022-2023 Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Group member, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2020-2022 Long term programming committee member, Articule, Montreal, Ca
2020-2022 Writers' club member, Articule, Montreal, Ca
2018-2019 Elected outreach coordinator, Fine Arts Student Alliance, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
2015 Painter assistant, Frédérique Bertin, Paris, Fr
Education
2022-2024 Master of Fine Arts with Distinction , Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2016-2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with Distinction, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
Fall 2015 Art History and Archeology Licence as independent candidate, Panthéon-Sorbonne University, Paris, Fr
2014-2015 1st year Undergraduate Student, National Superior Fine Arts School of Lyon, Fr
2013-2014 Preparatory class in Fine Arts, Prép’art, Paris, Fr
2013 French Baccalauréat in Literature with Honours, English Specialty & Plastic Arts Option, Le Bon Sauveur, Le Vésinet, Fr
Publications
2024 (upcoming) Catalogue of Failures, Issue 7
2024 (upcoming) Glasgow Starving Artist Guide, in collaboration with GSA Sustainability and SoFA, UK
2024 Graduate Showcase Catalogue, Glasgow School of Art, UK
2024 "Writings on painting: The Manner of Time" (with Chloë Lalonde), ISSAY! Magazine, Calgary, Ca
2023 "Writings on painting: Slow painting as resistance" (with Chloë Lalonde), ISSAY! Magazine, Calgary, Ca
2023 The Wide Open Issue, LBRNTH Anthologies, Montreal, Ca
2023 MFA Interim Show publication, Reid Gallery, Glasgow School of Art, UK
2023 Outlander Magazine, iO8 Strawberry, Cover illustration "The human head is really heavy n.23 "
2022 Weird Era Vol. 2, LSHB's Weird Era, Montreal, Ca
2020 "Dynamics 8", JPEG Vol. 1, E-book 2020, Art Cible, Montreal, Ca
2020 "Réfugiés", L'Organe, 19 ("Périple"), Montreal, Ca
2019 FASA's Broke Students Handbook, Fine Arts Student Alliance, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
Selected Press
2024 "Interview with Louise Campion", Formation Art, London, UK
2024 Agnes Sharp, "The Degree Show review, MFA", The Skinny, Glasgow, UK
2024 Susan Mansfield, "GSA Degree Show 'has to be seen, heard, touched and even occasionally smelled'", The Scotsman, Glasgow, UK
2024 Art on show, The Scotsman, The Herald, UK
2021 Malaika Astorga, "Louise Campion Challenges Corporate Power Dynamics With Her Colourful Paintings", Also Cool Magazine, Montreal, Ca
2020 JP Karwacki, "A free outdoor open-air art gallery pop-up is setting up in a dowtown park", Time Out, Montreal, Ca
2020 Daniela Zamora, "Suits and Poses of Corporate Dominance: Interview with Louise Campion", RICE Initiative Magazine, 1. Barcelona, Spain
2020 Stephanie Sokol, "Anton's worldwide "Looking Forward" Covid-19 exhibit goes live online", The Oakland Press, MI, USA
2019 Chloë Lalonde, "Featured Concordia Artist: Louise Campion", The Concordian, 36.24, Montreal, Ca