The numerals 4, 5 and 9, noticed here and there
The lifeless body of a yellow-rumped warbler
A worn-out rain cover billowing in the wind

Each little nothing is observed with the attention one gives to something precious—it seems that the gaze has come to rest on something that could just as well have been ignored. Once we realize that the numbers 4, 5 and 9 are the birth dates of loved ones, that the yellow-rumped warbler was found beneath a window by a friend, these little nothings are animated with a certain affect. A relationship is formed between the person and the object and its surroundings.

Guided by the influence of personal fascinations, collections are also portraits of those who amass them. Built over years, whether while wandering through the city or after long consideration, these collections have taken shape under the attentive eyes of artists who then transform them into images. Through play, nostalgia, or empathy, little nothings are pulled out of banality or certain disappearance and welcomed into the heart of an artificial ecosystem. The place they occupy in this newfound construct brings about a shift in perspective that allows us to see what is truly magical about them.

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<pre>Image : Gaston Côté, extrait de 08.08.08</pre>
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