François Gaudet, Acadian Breakdown memory quilt courtepoint mémoire, Mixed Media, 2020-2021

Artist Statement

This work strikes parallels and riffs between two Acadian folk traditions, breakdown music (also known as a reel) and the Acadian art of quilt making. 

Inspired by my thrifty Acadian mother who would repurpose our pyjamas, jeans and other cotton clothing we outgrew, quilting them into beautiful functional safety blanket. The works of art became a symbol of life and death. 

Both unique folk traditions rely on rhythm and repetition to tell an engaging story with intimate narratives. In this case breakdown can also allude to a mental breakdown or a failure in a system. By combining Acadian traditions of music and quilting, I created a digitally stitched contemporary self portrait memory quilt or safety blanket.