Julie Robert

My practice explores adaptation as an embodied phenomenon, rooted in matter, shaped by movement, constraint, and encounter. It examines how presences, environments, and structures unfold over time, how relationships emerge, transform, and leave traces that are both physical and perceptual. Rather than representing connection, the work constructs the conditions in which it can be experienced.

Material intelligence lies at the core of my process. Beyond mere representation, materials embody mechanisms analogous to the dynamics of living systems—of response, resistance, and transformation. Repetition, variation, and modularity act as principles of formal continuity, allowing matter to remain attuned to the situations it traverses, while carrying the memory of the forces that have shaped it. Cracks, impressions, and subtleties are not regarded as flaws, but as sites where adaptation becomes legible.

My research draws inspiration from living systems and their capacity to absorb, redistribute, and negotiate constraints. It seeks to reveal underlying dynamics, subtle interactions, and invisible regulations that sustain the continuity of forms. Joy functions as an internal structure, perceptible through its effects rather than its expression. Adaptation manifests as a movement inherent to matter itself, where tensions, flows, and a latent balance can be discerned.

Julie Robert, laureate of multiple distinctions, is pursuing a Master’s in Sculpture and Ceramics at Concordia University, supported by two Concordia Merit Scholarships. She won a major public art competition commemorating Canada’s most significant rail tragedy, unanimously selected by a jury chaired by Danièle Archambault, former Director of Collections at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. She has also produced a public artwork for the City of Candiac and contributed to a temporary installation for the REM under Quebec’s 1% policy. Rooted in minimalism, her work reveals the traces of adversity and transformation, inviting a tactile encounter with memory and material. Her work will be shown at Art Souterrain this spring and has been exhibited at Fonderie Darling, Art Mûr, CIRCA, and Articule, and is included in public and private collections.

julierobert.com

Julie Robert. Archipel, 2025. Ciment, silicate, brass plated aluminum, pigments, surface treatment, cotton, waxed cotton and water. 130 X 130 X 17 inches. Photo credit: Morgan Légaré

Julie Robert. Canopée, 2025. Ductal® concrete, surface treatment, aluminum, and LED lighting. 315 × 315 × 24 in. Photo credit: Picaboo Photographie. Final documentation Spring 2026.