Danae Brissonnet

Danaé Brissonnet

Proposal for Public Art in Hot Springs, Arkansas

MURALIST / PUPPETEER / WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

BIOGRAPHY

Danaé Brissonnet is an international artist from Quebec, Canada who specializes in public
murals, illustration, mask making and puppetry.
Her most recent colourful, fantastical folk inspired body of work is scattered from
Taiwan, Mexico, USA, Canada to Morocco, as well as in India, west Africa, Belgium and
Spain. Creating imagined worlds for the viewer, her work invites a deeper consideration
into the power of symbolism, myth, and metaphor.
Brissonnet’s art enforces connections between her work, herself, and the public in which
it engages. Most importantly, her process is about becoming involved in communities
where she can tell stories of peoples, their land, and their culture. Wherever Brissonnet is
creating there is likely to be a workshop, where she can share her experience. She seeks
locations where art is not accessible and finds importance in working with children to
inspire them to paint their stories with whatever materials they have.
Brissonnet's professional work is what enables her to travel to these conflict zones and
rural communities. Leaving a colourful trace, her art has a feeling of accessibility as she
visually translates her story, and that of others. Brissonnet’s work exists as an imprint of
change and inspiration for places she feels need it the most.

Artist Statement

For this mural project I would like to integrate community histories with symbolism based
firmly in the local flora and fauna, such that nature can find her way back into the urban
landscape.
I work primarily with paintbrushes to create colorful imagery with a layering of fine
details, such that it invokes embroidery on an urban landscape, as a means to tell stories
about the community in which I work.
My process begins by interviewing community members from diverse backgrounds, in
order to gather pieces of a story that I attempt to portray through images and symbols
that together relate a collective consciousness. My process will be adapted to our new
pandemic reality, such that live interviews and in-person workshops will have to be done
virtually or with extreme care to avoid contributing to the spread of COVID.
Each mural tells a tale of an inner life, emotions, and childhood, as well as how that micro
story fits into a larger macro political context; such that the viewer can directly relate to
the painting and see their own stories come to life on the wall before them.

MURAL CONCEPT | Hot Springs Mural Project-110, Central Avenue

MURAL CONCEPT | Hot Springs Mural Project-110,Central Avenue

There is no denying that Hot Spring is special.
For me, personally, I have traveled extensively for many years, and rarely do I find a place
where I feel deeply calm and connected to its surrounding nature like I feel when I am in Hot Springs.

Furthermore, the kindness of the people charmed me immediately, and, as I learned about the roller
coaster of history
surrounding the water, I was even more inspired.
I experienced the water as an encounter of calm from where ideas and dreams grow, and I felt inspired
to illustrate that experience.
In the Mural I propose, what I most want to represent of Hot Springs is the intertwining of its nature
and history.

In my process, I always leave a space for creation with the community. My initial sketch is a starting
point that is open to the community’s
input. It is a work in progress that depends on the community around it, as the mural shapes and
modifies itself.

As I began to become friends with the locals, I came upon a legend of the lady and the rainbow —
holding an eagle feather in each hand,
she guards the spring. If an offender of the spring does not listen, she lets one feather fall to his/her
feet. From there came the principal
idea of the hand coming out of the water, guarding the peace of the spring. Many native people believe
that the smoke from the spring is
the breath of the Grand Spirit that inhabits the Earth’s center. That belief further reinforces this primary
image of hands protecting the
region and guarding the water. However, hands do not only guard and protect, they also give and share,
and are a symbol of
generosity and peace.
Through this mural, I want to integrate the sacredness of the spring, as well as the sharing of peace and
generosity it embodies.
Hence, the little personified cherry blossom sits in peace on the thumb, resting with its feet in the
spring, in full bloom,
as a symbol of healing.

Aside from the key image of the hands and the spring, other images symbolize the history and specific
trademarks of the Hot Springs.
The central figure of the Mockingbird represents not only the state bird of Arkansas, as a bird that
always finds shiny objects,
the Mockingbird pulls on a golden dice which symbolizes the influence of gambling in the city’s history.
The Mockingbird also supports a house on its back; the house holds fire inside, symbolizing both the
warmth of Hot Springs,
but also remembering the great fire of Hot Springs that greatly marks its history. Also note that
the Mockingbird’s wing is that of the Diana fritillary, the state butterfly of Arkansas.

The white-tailed deer in the top corner has horns of crystal quartz.

Initial Budget

A 50% discount was apply on Artist fees..

Project time line: start: 1 may 2022 completed:15 may 2022

Artist fees Amount (USD)
Artist fees include: $9 ,450

• Black & white sketch (additional $500 for color)
• Mural of 1260 sq ft (45’x28’)
• 15 $/ square feet 50% discount

Additional expenditures to be paid by the Newtown Public Art Commission

Artist Travelling Expenses $ 800
$ 1,500
(airplane ticket – projected cost) $ 2,000
$ 500
Artist Accommodation Expenses $ 1,500

(per diem $100 x 15 days)

Materials

(Exterior acrylic paint, high quality, spray paint – projected cost)

Supplies

(brushes, rollers, paint trays, buckets, etc. – projected cost)

Scissor lift rental

(projected cost for 2 weeks)

TOTAL $ 15,750

Workshop with the community – Optional + $ 1,000

(2-day workshop, measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19)

Workshop with the community Click here for more detail

1 Ignite-Unframed Nola
New Orleans, 2020

Ignite is the largest-scale mural painted by Danae to this day. This painting in
New Orleans includes a gigantic pelican, alligator and a row of corn, meant to
symbolize the first inhabitants of the area. Clear here for more details or watch
this video.

2 LA PANGÉE

Acrylic paint, 2018, 16’x 20’

Artwork created along with MU and OMHM organizations. The themes that emerge
from this mural are community, nature, childhood and origin. Children from the
neighborhood were invited to paint their dream. Click here for more details.

3 Melífera

Acrylic paint, 2019, 25’x 20’

Melífera was created during Yaucromatic 3 Festival in Puerto Rico by
Danae, in collaboration with her mother Daphne.

4 ArtBeat

Acrylic paint, 2017, 23’x 82’

In 2017 the Pender County Arts Council and area officials commissioned
international artist Danae Brissonnet to create a mural, which is a contemporary
piece of artwork that interprets all aspects of life in Pender County.

5 Sirena

Acrylic paint, 2018, 66’x 49’

This mural was created during the 2018 Edition of the Sbagha Bagha
Festival in Morocco, where Danae had the opportunity to collaborate with
the community. Click here to watch a video for more details.

6 Exodus

Acrylic paint, 2019, 50’x 60’
Danae Brissonnet for Jidar Toiles de rue in Rabat, Morocco, 2019.

7 Souffleuse de nuages

Acrylic paint, 2018, 10’x 17’

Brissonnet does not hesitate to include the local population, especially
children in the process in order to empower them and help them built
their sense of belonging. Click here for more details about this mural.

8 Resiliencia

Acrylic paint, 2018, 23’x 66’

A mural painted on the side of a building still missing its roof from the
horrific damage of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Brissonnet comments, "I want
to make a mural for these people and for what they've been through."

9 El Manatí

Acrylic paint, 2016, 26’x 32’

Danae captures the political tension of the developing Bacalar (Mexico) and the
ramifications for people and environment. Families are being pushed from their
homes to make way for hotels, restaurants and stores selling to tourists.

10 Singe

Acrylic paint, 2020, 20’x 10’

Danae painted 2 murals at the Café Bloc, a climbing center downtown Montreal,
Canada. The team at Café Bloc wanted to add color to their space.

11 MAF-Mouvance art Festival
Guadeloupe,Port-louis 2021

Art-work created for MAF festival where Danae was co-organising the creation
of the first edition of the festival along with Mouvance caraïbe.

Danaé Brissonnet

Education/Training & Public Murals

https://www.instagram.com/danae_brisso/?hl=fr-ca

https://www.danaebrissonnet.com/murals.html

EDUCATION & TRAINING PUBLIC MURALS

2017 / 09-10 2020
Professional mask-making workshop, • Ignite, Embassy Suites by Hilton New Orleans, New Orleans, USA
given by Loïc Nebreda, Brussels, Belgium • Singe, Café Bloc, Montreal, Canada
• Femme fleur, Café Bloc, Montreal, Canada
2015 / 11-12
Puppet workshop, given by Natacha 2019
Belova, Brussels, Belgium • Sittelles, Nos Muralités, ACFO, Ottawa, Canada
• Crabe Mantou, IPAF Festival, Fort-De-France, Martinique
2014 / 10-11 • Mange maison, Festival Inspire, Moncton, Canada
Giant puppet apprenticeship, Théâtre de • Melífera, Yauchromatic Festival, Puerto Rico, USA
la Dame de Coeur, Upton, Canada
2018
2013 / 12 & 2014 ⁄ 01 • Resiliencía, Santurce es ley Festival, Puerto Rico, USA
Shadow puppetry apprenticeship, given • La Pangée, Organisme MU, Montreal, Canada
by Mordicus Création, Quebec, Canada • Sirena, Sbagha Sbagha Festival w⁄ Le boulevard, Casablanca, Morocco
• Souffleuse de nuages, Le Moulin -de culture, Reims, France
2013 / 02-04 • La Ubre, Zedre Art Mural Project, Valencia, Spain
Scenography apprenticeship, East Bay
Center for Performing Arts, San Francisco, 2017
USA • ArtBeat, Art Beat Community Center, Burgaw, USA

2011 / 05-07 2016
Puppetry apprenticeship, given by Peter • Pow Wow Taiwan, Pow Wow Indie Music Festival, Taipei, Taiwan
Schumann, Bread and Puppet, Glover, USA • Secret Walls, Secret Walls Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
• Pow Wow Taiwan, Wei-Wu-Ying Art Festival, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2009-2011 • Sea Walls, Pageanseed Foundation, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
D.E.C in Fine Arts, Cégep de Saint-Laurent,
Montreal, Canada 2015
• Théâtre Les Coeurs de bois, Brufête Street Art Project for ASBL, Brussels,

Belgium

2014
• Shrimp, Key West Chalk Festival, Key West, USA
• Dirty Apricot, Sarasota Chalk Festival, Sarasota, USA
• Reconnection, Art Gallery of the Greater Victoria, Victoria, Canada

2013
• Magenta drop, Good Neighbours Development, Ladagada, Nepal
• Moment of Wonder, Bikalpa Arts Center, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Cow, Innovation Peace Lab Project, Lamjung Public School, Lamjung, Nepal
• Doti District, Festival Kolor Kathmandu w⁄ Sattya Media Art Collective,

Kathmandu, Nepal
• Crecer sin frontera, Entreamigos Community Center, San Pancho, Mexico

2012
• Los que están ciegos (First Prize winner of Action Against Hunger),

Totógalpa, Nicaragua

Danaé Brissonnet

Residencies & Given Workshops

https://www.instagram.com/danae_brisso/?hl=fr-ca

https://www.danaebrissonnet.com/murals.html

RESIDENCIES SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2018 / 05 SOLO:
Le Moulin -de culture , Collaborative
community art residency, Reims, France 2018
• Tête en l’air, Le Moulin-de culture, Reims,
2017 / 06
ZO Prod, Screen-printing residency, France
Poitiers, France
2013
2016 / 07 • Transhumance w⁄ Claire Rochette, Galerie
El Manatí Art Residency, Estromatolito,
Mural artist in residence, Bacalar, Mexico des Nanas, Danville, Canada

2016 / 05 2011
Punto DF Art Residency, Lagríma, Mural • Duodenum w⁄ Coco Simone Finken, Galerie
artist in residence, Mexico, Mexico
Espace, Montreal, Canada
2015 / 05-08
Dream Community Art Residency, Artist in GROUP:
residence, Taipei, Taiwan
2012
2013 / 10 • Calaca Press International Print Exchange
Galerie des Nanas, Artist in residence,
Danville, Canada 2012, Oak Park, USA
• Printmaking exhibition, La Sirena Print
2013 / 08
Bikalpa Arts Center, Media and Performance Studio, Granada, Nicaragua
Residency, Kathmandu, Nepal • Printmaking exhibition, Casa de Los Tres

2013 / 01 Mundos, Granada, Nicaragua
Engramme Print Media Center
Printmaking residency, Quebec, Canada 2011
• Modèles vivants, Maison Antoine Lacombe,

Joliette, Canada
• De l'unique au multiple, Musée des maîtres

et artisans, Montreal, Canada

2009
• Troisième Festival du Placard, Casa Del

Popolo, Montreal, Canada

MEDIA

• https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1423556163530
• https://www.cbc.ca/arts/it-s-just-me-and-my-crazy-puppets-enter-the-surreal-isolation-of-muralist-danae-

brissonnet-1.5627660
• https://vimeo.com/299151127?fbclid=IwAR0_UbHvHsn6lfgw_YSjzC3g7xAwYxrTtzozl_m2SrCxp3sX8AzOcxtkGTY
• https://www.mtl-alaloupe.com/single-post/2018/09/17/La-Pang%C3%A9e-de-Dana%C3%A9-Brissonnet