Fine and dandy

by Genevieve Paiement

"Denis Décembre is my urban cowboy, a Jack Kerouac type who's always on the road, looking for truth, for love," says local artist Hermès of his alter-ego and a protagonist in his paintings. Décembre, a symbol of Hermès's personal journey, figures prominently in his exhibit Passage à vide on now at Georges Laoun Optician.

"In what I call my 'white period,' Décembre explores his yin, feminine side; other times he's more yang and masculine, more bearded," says Hermès, who works in a bookstore and draws inspiration from Oscar Wilde and his naughty (18)'90s antics. But don't look for historical accuracy in this art--Hermès prefers to mix up eras and styles to create his own special blend of kitsch-pop. "There's a real Wilde, dandy feeling, but depicted in a cinematic, childish way. There are flower power aspects, cowboys, rainbow flags, hidden symbols and details, gay pin-up boys, literary allusions, nods to '60s pop art and tragi-comic themes--comic like 'funny' and also like 'cartoon,'" he explains. Sneak a peek at 4012 St-Denis (corner Duluth) until July 21.

... more arts