Samy Kiss in lithography studio, avril 2024
Samy Kiss is the recipient of the Bourse François-Xavier Marange 2024.
Residency project: “Since my arrival in Montreal, I’ve been engaged in a process of interpreting the ties that bind me to individuals and territories. I still feel rooted and scattered in Switzerland, the place where I grew up. My artistic practice is rooted in my experiences of attachment to this space, to which I have access only through my memories, photos and relationships. My prism lies in the bonds of friendship I maintain despite/with distance. I seek to understand how these attachments endure, crumble and emancipate. What messages do we continue to send each other? What material traces emerge and how do these tokens of affection carry over into my practice, my daily life and my imagination.”
Bio:
With a CFC (Certificat fédéral de capacité) in graphic design, Samy Kiss began his artistic studies in Geneva. His involvement in community and cultural circles is reflected in his work in
visual communication. Internships with graphic design companies led him to broaden his explorations into the visual arts. Iel recently completed her bachelor’s degree at UQAM, specializing in analog printmaking. Iel is interested in accompanying printmaking, notably during his internship at the artist-run center l’Imprimerie. Samy has presented his work in various collective projects, including LESPACEMAKER, LesAteliers Belleville, Incroyable Salon du Zine, Fais-moi l’art, Passage à découvert and Paramètres XXIII.
Artistic statement:
Samy Kiss is a non-binary artist based in Tiohtià:ke/Moniang Montréal. Inspired by craft, Samy explores printmaking and self-publishing, specializing in monotypes and photolithography. Through his artistic practice, Samy seeks to reinterpret the spontaneity and freedom of drawing through the creation of printed images. The abundant, saturated and compact use of color characterizes his approach, forming exploded universes that transport the public to a marvelous, playful world of multiple forms.
By appealing to the imagination, Samy creates a metaphorical discourse on his own realities. Rooted in the practices of care, he aspires to create intimate projects that offer a diversity of interpretation and blur the boundaries of logical reality. His projects emerge from the desire that the sharing of his sensitive experiences should create an echo in others, and enable audiences to question their own inner poetry. By opening himself up to vulnerability, Samy uses his art to put forward affirming, gentle and validating discourses.
