Pique Spring 2024: The Unexpected and Experimental at Three-day Ottawa Multimedia Arts Festival

Photo by Valerie Boucher

Four times a year, Ottawa arts organizer Debaser hosts Pique, a “forward-thinking” festival featuring a mix of musical, visual, and multimedia artists, both locally and internationally known. 

Their spring 2024 edition was held last weekend from March 8-10 at the Ottawa Arts Court. It was their first time hosting the event over multiple days and their biggest yet. Not only did the event showcase various acts well into the night, but it also hosted a mixture of workshops and installations, leaning into their theme of “experimentation, exploration, and expecting the unexpected.”

The festival kicked off with Topique, a series of artist talks and workshops held throughout the weekend. Attendees had the opportunity to delve deeper into the ideas and processes behind the artists' groundbreaking work, exploring topics such as digital and analogue sound production techniques, mindful listening, womanhood and representation, and improvisation. Among these sessions were workshops led by international artists Maria Chávez, Val Jeanty, and Maylee Todd, who each also performed in the main lineup. Friday’s sessions, held on International Women’s Day, included panel discussions with artists including Zineb Allaoui and LuCille whose exhibit “Elusive Illusion: A Review of the Nude African Form” was on display all weekend. 

Part of the greatness of Pique is you don’t always know what you’re going to get, but you go along for the ride anyway. The building filled up throughout Saturday into the night, as attendees wandered around, experiencing a variety of atmospheres and acts across the venue's different rooms.

Nordting by Valerie Boucher

At 6:30 p.m., Nordting, ”a nomadic people’s parliament of the North” and “separatist movement for the Arctic colony” was engaging the crowd at the Club SAW stage while signs on the front doors of the building warned those entering of a “strong scent of fish.” Their show is part-rousing PowerPoint, part-throat singing talent, and part-immersive experience as they beat drums with frozen fish and encourage the crowd to vote on various motions before hugging the strangers beside them.

Meanwhile, in a nearby room, Montreal duo Echönymphia, consisting of pianist Vivian Li and harpist Coralie Gauthier. blends harp and synth into ethereal sounds. Attendees watched the show relaxing on the floor as the pink and orange lights flickered on stage. 

Maria Chávez by Valerie Boucher

In a seated theatre, abstract turntablist Maria Chávez kicked off her installation "Topography of Sound" by inviting attendees of her earlier workshop to break a collection of records. The records were picked up at a local store, something she does in every city she performs in. Throughout her set, she incorporated those broken pieces into her music, creating an eclectic mix of mystery audio, voices, and beats.

By 9:30 PM, Club SAW is filled with a crowd dancing and drinking to disco duo TUSH while Norwegian visual artist, chanter, and musician Marita Isobel Solberg is playing in another room. The crowd built up throughout the night, with DJ digital polyglot closing it out with a packed set “inspired by space and other worlds” at 1 AM.

TUSH by Valerie Boucher

Pique highlights the diversity of Ottawa's arts scene, showcasing local talents like N'nerjie, Queenyy, and Dimitri Georgaras while bringing in unique artists from around the world. The range of acts and crowded rooms at Pique highlights the talent coming to and out of Ottawa and the thirst that people in the city have for these kinds of experiences.

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Valerie Boucher is a writer based in Ottawa, Canada. You can follow her on Instagram and learn more at valerieboucher.ca.

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Anna Rudzit / @sugaronyoursouls Takes Preconceptions of Beauty Into Her Own Hands

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

The work of Moscow’s makeup aficionado Anna Rudzit – better known as @sugaronyoursouls – is not for the faint of heart. While most makeup artists concern themselves with the perfect wing or smoothest blend, Rudzit exists in a world of her own. Held together by macaroni noodles, clementine peels and clouds of pigmented goop; the term “experimental” serves her craft a limited justice.

When I first came across Rudzit’s creations, I was not sure whether to feel startled or exhilarated. I consider myself to be a devoted follower of the makeup industry, one that is – unfortunately – rather occupied with chasing perfection. Since confronting Rudzit’s work, something has awoken. Her marks of expression are a gift to this industry, a sign to shake up notions of “creativity” and embrace the uncomfortable as a portal to something beautiful. 

I had the pleasure of chatting with Rudzit about her creative philosophies and her variety of influences, among other subjects. Read away!

Rebecca L. Judd for Also Cool: Hi there Anna! Thank you for taking the time to speak with Also Cool – I am a recent fan, but your looks have already taken over my 'Saved' tab on Instagram. For those unfamiliar with your work, can you explain what it is you do?

Anna Rudzit: Hey Also Cool Mag! Thank you for this opportunity, I appreciate it. I am [an artist] doing experimental and avant-garde makeup. It's something between makeup and art. If we [were to] dig deeper, [this comes] from our ancestors, who decorated themselves with various objects and painted on their faces to show their place in their society. In my opinion, the closest thing to avant-garde makeup today is high fashion. Experimental makeup gives great opportunities for creativity, and there are practically no boundaries. At the same time, you can create in the moment and allow yourself to make mistakes.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

Also Cool: Your work fascinates me because it validates that any form of facial experimentation is capable of being recognized as 'art'. Your work strays away from the polish or precision that we assume of makeup artists – you have proven that random tools like Post-its, balloons and scotch tape can also create a unique and intriguing makeup look. How did you decide to move in this direction with your art as a makeup artist? 

Anna: [Ever] since childhood I was interested in makeup, and I also had access to my mother's cosmetics and the absence of prohibitions in creativity from my parents. In adulthood, I [gained] skills in photography, retouching, and I [completed] makeup artistry courses. In the end, I united all this and decided that I didn't want to create something simple and understandable. I was interested in experiments – images on the verge of beautiful and ugly. I wanted to share my own perception of beauty, [and] to tell a story. I like to create images on my face and photograph them as if it were a one-man theater.

AC: Together with Russian artist Anna Meder, you co-founded Messymakeupcommunity, an artistic community dedicated to "unusual and experimental makeup". Tell me more about this project, and what you hope to achieve with it!

A: [Mine and Anna’s] creative paths began almost at the same time, that's how we got to know each other. At the beginning of [our] journey, we faced the fact that it is very difficult to get [exposure through] the magazines and the communities so that people can see your work. Most often, popular [outlets] choose a picture without noticing [the] real person behind it. Just a beautiful image and that's it. Our approach is completely different – we show artists who want to be seen. It doesn't matter what [kind of style of] photo was taken and how high quality it is. It's important to catch on to the idea.Our community exists as a platform to support all artists – famous and beginners – who are interested in this kind of creativity. We believe that creativity makes our world a better place.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

AC: Who is it that influences your artistic approach? Do your influences include fellow makeup artists, or people outside of makeup altogether?

A: I am not inspired by [anyone] in particular. On the contrary, I try to turn off what I [have seen] in order to focus on my experience. I've always been passionate about psychology, surrealism and David Lynch. This is what has always interested me. When I started my blog, a kind of alma mater [for developing my makeup] was #uglymakeuprevolution. 

I am often asked about inspiration, but I think we are inspired by the same things. Nature, people, art, architecture, cinema, fashion, personal experiences and so on. The main trick is how you put it through your mind and imagination. 

AC: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a makeup artist, and how have you overcome it?

A: The biggest challenge [has been] non-constructive criticism. I understand perfectly well that the world will never be neutral, and social networks are a toxic place. But sometimes it still affects me. In such cases, I try to focus on love and support.

One of the very first and [most] difficult, from an ethical point of view, was the work [I did] based on the Xavier Dolan film "Matthias and Maxim". The main character (Dolan) had a birthmark all over his cheek. I was deeply impressed by the director's reception. It was powerful. And I did not hesitate to draw exactly the same on my cheek and took a photo. 

I was not going to publish the photo, [as] I did it for myself in a creative burst. Later, I told my friend about this and showed the photo. She persuaded me to publish it for her sake, arguing that she has a large birthmark and she was embarrassed all her life, and my work [gave] her confidence that it is unique and beautiful. As a result, I conducted a mini research [sample] among my friends and came to the conclusion that there can be no definite answer, but my friend's words influenced me and I made up my mind. This idea was soon stolen from me without any twinges of conscience. Since then, I have tried not to touch on [controversial] topics, because I don't want to offend anyone.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

AC: Although the variety of your looks is captivating, I imagine that some of them must be hard to wear... What is your go-to look in the day-to-day? Do you ever leave the house wearing your unconventional looks, or are those reserved for Instagram?

A: In everyday life, I don't wear bright or extravagant makeup, but once I painted my face at an online party. And my model [has previously] spent the whole day with chains glued to her eyes. She was excited, because she didn't think that it would be comfortable and beautiful at the same time.

AC: Thank you for your time, Anna. We here at Also Cool can't wait to see what you do next! As a parting question, do you have any next steps to share with us? What do you hope to achieve in the rest of 2021?

A: I plan to [collaborate] with several brands, I think it will be interesting. I have an idea to make some material objects, not just photos with makeup. Of course, I will continue to experiment in the field of beauty. I also dream of participating in an exhibition with my works.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

Anna Rudzit

Instagram | Messy Makeup Community

Rebecca L. Judd (she/they) is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She writes and creates out of a studio apartment in Ottawa, kept company by vivid dreams and a cuddly grey kitty named Dora.

This interview was conducted over email, and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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