La Planète KRAG
In 1983, my father invented an imaginary planet: the planet KRAG. I was one year old.
My father had built a cardboard model of his planet, which he showed to everyone. He explained that his family, his friends and even Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Rosanna Arquette, lived on KRAG. He could describe the natural resources, continents and political situation of his planet.
My father never completely returned from KRAG. Mental illness altered his daily life, career and relationships for the rest of his life.
His “absence” marked my existence. To hear many people, I am far from the only one who has lived with a father in exile, one way or another. Fortunately, my mother was there to guide us and watch over the family.
My father is now old. KRAG is hardly a memory, and I have since become a man.
I think about this differently now. In fact, I am mostly busy building. Not far from the imaginary planet, I built a house for my family and an artist studio for myself.
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I dedicate this series of paintings to those who have lived around mental illness, near or far.
ABOUT GUILLAUME KLOOTIER
GUILLAUME KLOOTIER (1982-) is a contemporary artist and painter based in Montreal.
He graduated with distinction from Concordia University's Visual Arts Program. On his final year, he won the Cecil Buller - John J.A. Murphy Scholarship in Drawing.
In recent years, he exhibited at Seattle Art Fair, Papier Art Fair, and several other group exhibitions in Quebec.
In 2018, literary journal Contre-Jour published his work alongside the work of poet Benoît Jutras (issue No.44).
Guillaume Klootier painted the artworks for Jaeborn by Number, a fake documentary about the excess of the contemporary art market. Directed by Roger Gariepy, the film had its Premiere at the 37th International Festival of Films on Art in Montreal (March 2019).
La Planète KRAG is his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Youn.
Opening reception on Thursday, September 12th from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Photos from the opening reception
