Festival Art Souterrain
Exhibition place
Activities
sous les bogues (2025)
Installation : robotics, sound
sous les bogues, an installation utilizing sound and circuitry, is inspired by the vibrational and rhythmic communication methods observed in many species of insects and other arthropods. Conceived as part of a creative residency jointly offered by the Montreal Insectarium and the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the piece is akin to a small autonomous ecosystem. A swarm of about sixty handmade robotic creatures are suspended from a structure which calls to mind a greenhouse, in which the public may circulate. The beasties react to the light in their environment: by coming to life, their hardware emits noise reminiscent of the hum of a machine, as well as the buzzing of crickets, grasshoppers, and other insects emblematic of the summer season.
The french term “bogue” (meaning “bug” in english, as if to say “critters” but also “software defect”) is a nod to often linked between insects and technology, whether it be through terminology — the Web, “spiderweb” — or even inspirational — biomimicry and intelligence distributed in robotics and software, for example.
Biography
Léa Boudreau is an artist, “tinkerer,” and educator based in Montreal. She works with DIY electronics, sound, and found objects to create installation and sculptural art inspired by the non-human world, whether it be animal, mechanic, inanimate or immaterial. Her work has been presented presented and performed internationally at festivals, concerts, and art galleries (Sonorities Belfast, OTTOsonics Austria, MUTEK Montreal, BEAST Birmingham, Mixtur Barcelona), and have been awarded multiple prizes and grants (album électroacoustique de l’année 2025 Conseil québécois de la Musique, Dora & Avi Morrow Fellowship for Excellent Achievement in Visual Arts, Canada Graduate Scholarship). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Digital Music from the University of Montreal, as well as a master’s degree in Fine Arts (Intermedia) from Concordia University. Léa places great importance on sharing knowledge through teaching creative workshops and democratizing related techniques.
Special thanks to: Montréal Insectarium / Pascale Tétrault
