Marc Chicoine

As a figurative painter and freestyle dancer, my work is driven by a deep appreciation for the corporeal experience and its endless possibilities for expression. Heavily inspired by embodied cognition and the research of pioneers such as George Lakoff, I believe that bodily narrative and sensorial perceptions are responsible for how we conceive of and engage with every aspect of our lives. Cognition, emotionality and the metaphors we live by are all married to our bodies.

Through visual-spatial mediums, fine art and improvisational dance pull participants into the present moment. This temporal quality is a powerful means of proprioception, which has positive ramifications on how we engage with one another. When creating visual narratives, be it with a brush or on the dancefloor, I strive to convey the nuance of gesture as it relates to structure. This thread remains consistent irrespective of emotive outlet.

In painting, I create vivid, expressive compositions that share my psychosocial and physical experiences, sometimes triumphant and other times conflicting. Other works are process-driven, improvisational, or focused on universality hidden in shared rituals. Carrying viewers across these lenses is an important component of my work. I intend to provoke their interpersonal and intrapersonal reflections through kinetic empathy. I want viewers to investigate how they commune with themselves and how this extends to others. Bodily awareness and narrative are universally accessible tools to achieve this outcome.

I believe that creative communion is intrinsic to dance and visual art, and I strive to bring a sense of presence, authenticity, and connection to my pieces. I hope my work challenges people to reassess the integration between mind and body and inspires them to consider how they ~wiggle~ through this life.