Mexican-born Helga Schlitter has lived in Quebec city since 1956. She took courses with Marcel Jean in Quebec City between 1970 and 1986 before completing jewelry courses in Germany (Freiburg, 1989-1992); she also completed training internships in St-Jean-Port-Joli, at the La Esmeralda art school in Mexico (1995) and at the Escola Massana in Barcelona. In addition, she studied artist’s book publication at Université Laval’s École des arts visuels and completed a professional development internship at the Centro Nacional de las Artes in Mexico (2000). Schlitter describes her artwork as “utopian forms of architecture”; her totems and assemblages of flora and fauna are prepared piece by piece and inspired by pre-Columbian civilizations. Apart from totems made from various materials and frequently exhibited in Quebec and Mexico, she has worked in polished and anodized aluminum to create numerous monumental sculptures for public spaces: these include Un drôle d’animal at Clermont’s École Laure-Gaudreault (Quebec, 2003), three colourful floral works at the Pavillon de nutraceutiques at Université Laval (2003) and Près du fleuve, entre ciel et terre at the Centre culturel de la Maison Vézina in Boischâtel (Quebec, 2005).
SCHLITTER, Helga
Helga Schlitter, Près du fleuve, entre ciel et terre, 2005. Aluminium brossé, verre coloré. 290 x 175 x 180 cm. Photo avec l’aimable autorisation de l’artiste.
