painting men in suits, drawing pain in thoughts
Louise Campion probes the emotional and psychological dimensions of survival in a world teetering on the edge of collapse. Through painting, drawing, and writing she navigates this complex terrain of power, social violence, and ecological crisis, as a young woman artist in pursuit of happiness.
Her ongoing painting series, Wondering if men in suits turn me on or piss me off (also The attractive value of greed), turns its gaze to the corporate elite: the postures, gestures, and body language through which authority and charisma are projected and perpetuated, the seductive yet deceiving choreographies and costumes upon the contemporary stage of our leader’s theatre.
Rendered in exaggerated poses and heightened colour palette, Campion invites her viewer to question the ideals upheld by mechanisms of control and dominance, challenging us to reconsider the rule we have been taught to revere. By peeling back the polished veneer of power’s aesthetics the figures expose both the allure and emptiness of systems built on greed with the aim of eroding the pedestal sustaining our oppressors.
In contrast, Campion’s drawings, The human head is really heavy, offer a quieter diaristic space where vulnerability and care take centre stage. Drawing from personal connection and intended intuition, on hand-made paper from recycled bed sheets, she uses red ink to capture moments of comfort and solace: the faces of friends, the places that soothe, intimate fragments of daily life. In these, Campion compels us to reconnect with raw emotion and express what is often too difficult to articulate, reminding us that we share in a collective grief and restlessness.
Materially Louise’s practice is deeply intertwined with her commitment to environmental justice. She hand-makes and recycles materials, and experiments with traditional techniques to create art that resists the wastefulness of contemporary production. This ethos is part of her participation in the Slow Painting movement, where deliberate and thoughtful methods become acts of defiance in a world driven by speed, consumption, and exploitation. At the heart of Campion’s practice lies an exploration of resilience. How do we continue to create, to feel, to connect, against overwhelming, violent, and often dividing constructs? Her work asks this question, as she seeks to understand what it means to be human, to be aware. Amid these uncertain times, Campion believes that art, alongside community, can be a space of both confrontation and care- where we may, perhaps, find a way forward.
Louise Campion is a French artist and writer working between Montréal (Tiohtià:ke – Mooniyang), Glasgow, and Paris. She holds a BFA in Studio Art from Concordia University (with distinction) and was just awarded her MFA from the Glasgow School of Art (with distinction), for which she received The Ranald and Jennifer May Postgraduate Painting Scholarship. Her work has been exhibited internationally in group and solo shows, most recently at The Untitled Space (NYC, USA), The Glue Factory (Glasgow, UK) and ICAT at HFBK Hamburg (Germany). In addition to her studio practice Louise embraces writing and curation as an extension of her creative process. She has been published in ISSAY magazine (Calgary) and written exhibition responses for Céline Bureau (Montréal). Recent curatorial projects include Swatched Series exhibitions at the Pipe Factory, Haberdashery and the New Glasgow Society (Glasgow). She is currently working at the non-profit organisation Fais-moi l'art and at the Visual Arts Centre, while developing a series of new oil paintings for Hermès (Paris).
CV
Selected Solo & Duo Exhibitions
2026 (upcoming) Victoria Hall Gallery, Westmount, Ca
2022 Human Nature (with Emily Comeau), Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery, Dawson College, Montreal, Ca
2020 Exploring the notions of the gaze with Louise Campion (Online), curated by Margot Chambon, McGill University, Montreal, Ca
2018 La Banalité du Mal (with Louise Laborie), Salle Vasse, Nantes, Fr
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 (upcoming) Permanent Collection Exhibition, Fais-moi l'art, Montreal, Ca
2025 (ongoing) CHRYSALIS, Patrick Mikhail Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2025 Pierrefonds-Roxboro Cultural Centre's 39th Art Competition, City of Montreal, Ca
2025 UPRISE 2025, The Untitled Space, New York City, USA
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 City, 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
2024-26 (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
Awards & Grants
2025 Mention, Pierrefonds-Roxboro Art Competition (Professional Painting Category), presented by the City of Montreal, Ca
2025 Honorable Mention, MyMA Artist Grant, USA
2024 Student Initiated Project Fund (Fall), in collaboration with Blake Ballard, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2024 Acquisition and marketing in visual arts grant, Arts and Letters Council of Quebec, Ca
2024 Student Initiated Project Fund (Spring), in collaboration with Blake Ballard, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2023 Student Initiated Project Fund (Winter), in collaboration with Blake Ballard, Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, UK
2023 Student Initiated Project Fund (Fall), 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, with the support of the Art Souterrain Festival, the Centre Jeunesse-Emploi centre-ville and the Montreal Art Council, Ca
2018 Winner, Postcard design competition, VAV Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2018 Individual Special Project Grant, Fine Arts Student Alliance, Concordia University, Montreal, Ca
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
Residencies & Programs
2022 Jano Lapin x Desjardins Artist Residency (6 months), Jano Lapin Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 Créer des ponts Artist Residency (3 months), Art Souterrain Festival, Montreal, Ca
2021 Receptionist substitute in a law office (3 weeks personal research), CIGE Gestion Canada, Montreal, Ca
2021 Connecting Creative Youth through the Arts (20h Art Entrepreneurship workshops), YES Montreal with the support of the Government of Canada, Montreal, Ca
2020 ARTCH Emerging Contemporary Art (52h Art Entrepreneurship training and workshops) by Art Souterrain, the CAM and CJE Centre-ville, Montreal, Ca
2018 Brushes with cancer 2018 (6 months), Twist out cancer, 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
Curatorial Experience
2025- (current) Director, Fais-moi l'art (NPO), Montreal, Ca
2025 Head of Funding and Assistant Artistic Director, Fais-moi l'art (NPO), Montreal, Ca
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- (current) Board of Directors member, La Centrale (Feminist artist-run center), Montreal, Ca
2025- (current) Administrative Clerk, Visual Arts Centre, Montreal, Ca
2025- (current) Board of Directors member, Fais-moi l'art (NPO), 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
Fairs & Auctions
2025 (ongoing) EN COULEUR, 2025 Fundraising Exhibition, Visual Arts Centre, Westmount, Ca
2025 Benefit Auction, Fais-moi l'art, Montreal, Ca
2025 UPRISE 2025 x ART4EQUALITY, Benefit Art Auction, The Untitled Space, New York City, USA
2023 Parle-moi d'amour, Les Impatients Benefit Auction, Diane Dufresne Art Center, Repentigny, Ca
2021 FIFA International Festival of Films on Art, Benefit Auction, BYDealers Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2021 Pour des peanuts, Online Auction, 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
Collections
2025 (upcoming) Hermès, Interludes Project, Paris, Fr
2025 Fais-moi l'art Permanent Collection, Montreal, Ca
2025 Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada’s second State of Youth Report, Gatineau, Ca
2024 CitizenM Hotel, Glasgow, UK
2020-25 Private Collections
Publications
2025 (upcoming) Interludes, Commission for Hermès, Paris, Fr
2025 (upcoming) Catalogue of Failures, Issue 7
2025 (upcoming) Glasgow Starving Artist Guide, in collaboration with GSA Sustainability and SoFA, UK
2025 (upcoming) "The colour of their eyes", Céline Bureau x FoFA Gallery, Montreal, Ca
2025 10th Anniversary Publication, The Untitled Space, New York City, USA
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 Art on show, The Herald, Scotland, UK
2020 JP Karwacki, "A free outdoor open-air art gallery pop-up is setting up in a dowtown park", Time Out, Montreal, Ca
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