Valérie Blass


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Valérie Blass (b. 1967, Montreal; lives/works: Montreal) is an artist whose sculptural language plays with traditional and contemporary materials, techniques, and tropes. Her set-like installations and assemblages frequently make of found objects and textiles alongside plaster, fimo, marble, and wood to create sculptures that evoke absent human bodies. Present only through frozen garments, distorted utensils, and occasional photos, the figure is both elusive and distorted throughout her work.

Blass studied at the Université du Québec à Montréal, receiving a BFA in 1998, and a MFA in 2006. She has presented notable solo exhibitions at Fonderie Darling, Montreal (2023), Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver (2020, 2015); Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto (2019); Oakville Galleries, Canada (2019); Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin (2019); Artspeak, Vancouver (2015); Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (2012); and MOCA Toronto (2009). In 2013, she presented a new commission for the Public Art Fund in New York. Blass’ work has been included in numerous group exhibitions including at MOMENTA Biennale de l’image, Montreal (2023), Musée Zadkine, Paris (2021); Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, University of California (2021); Centre d’art contemporain d’Ivry – le Crédac, France (2019); National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (2017, 2011); La Biennale de Montréal (2016); Vancouver Art Gallery (2016); Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (2016); Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City (2016, 2011); and Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (2014, 2010). In 2017, she was the recipient of the Gershon Iskowitz Prize.