Other People’s Memories

Not the Whole Picture (Alice) by Garth & Pierre
66″ circle; sewn C-prints; 2021. Courtsey of the artists.

FROM KOLAJ 35

Garth & Pierre’s Artist Portfolio

Drawing from a personal archive, Not the Whole Picture (Alice) is a devotional, mandala-like work that “documents, marks, and recognizes the incredible contribution these individuals make in our lives.” A trove of candid snapshots is transformed into an artwork that reads like someone else’s memory. The photographs are cropped, interrupted by others and they repeat, as if on a loop in someone’s mind.

Garth Amundson and Pierre Gour describe themselves as “a queer bi-national artist team who have been working together for over three decades.” They wrote, “We consistently explore themes and topics related to gender identity, domesticity, migration, and other LGBTQ+ issues. Our photographic projects combine vernacular imagery with mined, personal, and found historic materials.” A portfolio of their work appears in Kolaj 35.

This Artist Portfolio appears in Kolaj 35. From the Scottish Highlands to the shores of Lake Ontario to Mombasa, Kenya, the printed magazine brings the wide-world of collage to your doorstep. To read the full article, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.

Not the Whole Picture (Alice) (detail) by Garth & Pierre
66″ circle; sewn C-prints; 2021. Courtsey of the artists.

“We bind and alter our memories together by sewing, cutting, scratching, gluing, and taping photos and other objects not only as a means of expression but as a way to reconnect, recollect, and reinvent. We are interested in tactility; integrating the mark of our own hands with the mechanical.”

This Artist Portfolio appears in Kolaj 35. From the Scottish Highlands to the shores of Lake Ontario to Mombasa, Kenya, the printed magazine brings the wide-world of collage to your doorstep. To read the full article, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.

Garth Amundson and Pierre Gour work as a collaborative team. Some of their work is literal collaboration, and at other times, they serve one another in a support role. Amundson holds a BA from Central Washington University and an MFA from Syracuse University. Gour holds a BFA from Concordia University in Montreal and an MFA in Studio Arts from the University of New Mexico. Their work has been exhibited in South Korea, Spain, Sweden and throughout North America. They have completed several residency programs, including Sculpture Space in New York; Cimelice Castle near Prague; Fundación Valparaíso in Spain; Lademoen in Norway; Bellagio Rockefeller Center in Italy, and a Fulbright in Mexico. Learn more at
www.garthandpierre.com.