CHANCES ARE, you’ve already come across the quirky and whimsical work of Gab Bois. The 21-year-old Montreal-based artist’s career trajectory reads like a do-what-you love fairytale: she was a year-and-a-half into a bachelor’s degree to become an elementary school teacher when she began to post her photography on her Instagram account, @gabbois. Fast forward to 569k followers, solo and group exhibitions, a residency and many high-end brand collaborations later, and Bois, who never planned to make a career out of her photographic work, has put her studies on hold to pursue a career in the arts.
Her work, which currently focuses on photography, features everyday objects that we’ve seen a thousand times before, shown in a different context that often makes you stop to think or see things in a different way. Orange peels become bra cups and salty crackers make up the argyle pattern on a sweater vest. Sometimes the images will make you uncomfortable, sometimes they will make you laugh, but always, they will make you take a closer look.
As far as future projects go, Bois would like to expand from the digital space to the physical space with more sculptural works and installations. The artist is currently working on a few photo series and collaborations, but is also trying to develop new skills to incorporate into her work. While she likes photography a great deal, her background is in sculpture and drawing, both of which she would like to explore further.
Bois has been published in print publications such as Elle UK, Marie Claire China, and WWD. Her brand collaborations include Balenciaga, Nike, Jean Paul Gaultier, Mercedes-Benz, Marc Jacobs, Louboutin, and Coach, just to name a few.
You can follow Gab Bois on Instagram @gabbois, and purchase her book, a project made in partnership with Anteism Books, an independent publisher in Montreal, here.
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