Phil Shaw: quand la bibliotheque imite la realite

Sirois-Rouleau discusses the work of Phil Shaw. Interested in paradoxes and contradictions in images, Shaw uses archival printmaking techniques to blur the line between real and fictional worlds. Humour is an essential part of his work, allowing him to throw into sharp relief the irony - sometimes cruel, sometimes extravagant--that typifies Western society. At the heart of Shaw's practice are realistic illustrations of bookcases that pay tribute to the charm and distinction of the document and yet evince a cynical gaze at contemporary life.