At first glance these drawings appear to be randomly, if obsessively, scribbled. Similar to a quick figure drawing, a Cy Twombly rethought as a directional map, or a drawing done with a magical Scribble Pen toy for children. Upon further investigation it reveals itself as a drawing but not, as at first anticipated, of a figure. It is a map but not made by Twombly and these scribbles weren’t made by a toy pen for kids. These map scribbles were made with ink by Michelle Dussault, they are continuous drawings that represent her interpretation of a map drawn in the process of riding the street car, go figure. This map-making in the present of travel explains the quality of the line. She has guided her audience to this conclusion by indicating the names of well known places in New Orleans written at points (like stops) along the line.
Michelle Dussault’s series of drawings are made with ink on long scroll sheets of very thin paper. They are carefully displayed around other artists’ work in close proximity to one of the entranceways of the exhibition space. This placement introduces an interesting fusion with the difficult space. Canal Street Line: Cypress Grove, St. Charles Ave Line, No. 914: Happy Dogs, and Canal Street Line No. 934:Joy are displayed length wise and separated vertically on the left side of the door. The titles represent the particular street car line, followed by a personal subtitle . St. Charles Avenue Line was not given a subtitle and is separated from the other three, displayed on the right side of the same door. Above the door is RTA a wall collage of cut out individual map drawings.
Michelle has chosen to place her drawings directly on to the drywall in the same fashion that a map or blueprint might be displayed. This treatment of the presentation fits Michelle’s idea of a map and prevents the distraction of a frame or of glass covering the drawing, evading in the process any notion that these maps have been archived or purposely drawn to be displayed as art in the conventional manner. Instead she makes her intentions very clear, revealing the work as a quick sketch, designed in its turn to reveal its movement and recall at once the moment and the making of its mark. In this way Michelle succeeds in letting us know that she is more concerned with making than reflecting. This helps us to see the piece in terms of the act of her journey around New Orleans, an act we may already have followed, a shared memory or an invitation depending on our own respective histories
Matthew Baughman