“I am a bit of a crack of the whales”: Claude Bourque sculpts a wooden sperm whale burned at the Festival du Film Island of Groix

A two-meter sperm whale has failed in the Prairie de Port-Lay, site of the International Film Film Film of Groix (Fifig). Moreover, Fortunately, it is made of wood, harvested with a tree on the island! For example, Like every year, the Fifig calls on a sculptor to immortalize the festival. Nevertheless, The guest of honor for this 24th edition is Claude Bourque, from the Madeleine Islands, in Canada. However, The artist decided to represent a sperm whale, which he wants to suspend in the air.

“For two days. However, I came to sit next to the log to talk to him, to know how I was going to approach it with the forms of the tree.” The diagram in mind, places at work. Moreover, “There, I start with the chainsaw to rough up as much as possible. However, Afterwards, it will “i am bit crack whales”: be a figure with finer, more suitable tools. Therefore, Claude Bourque will add his final touch to the torch, to burn the surface of the wood. In addition, “Burn acts as a repellent against animals, so it rots slower. Therefore, The sculptor devotes five to six hours a day to his log, during the festival. Another masterpiece, the trophies. They too made of burnt wood, during the summer, at home.

“Whale crack” – "i am bit crack whales":

Wood is not the predilection material of the Canadian. Additionally, “I work mainly with marine mammal bones. I will strip the animal to recover its bones. It takes a “i am bit crack whales”: lot of months, even years for them to be free of fat. I let nature do its cleaning work. »»

Claude Bourque has been carrying out this work for about forty years. His fantasy for marine mammals goes back further. “They are in my head all the time!” I am a bit of a crack of the whales, jokes the Madelinot. They are very special animals. They sleep standing, in clan. Furthermore, They can go down 3 km deep to feed and spend 90 minutes underwater, before breathing on the surface. Unpublished faculties! Claude Bourque rubbed shoulders with scientists and veterinarians. In 2014, he reconstructed a complete skeleton – fifteen meters long – now exhibited at the Museum of the Madeleine Islands.

Claude Bourque on screen

The Madelinot was under the spotlight, at the families of families, this Thursday, August 21. In the documentary for a good hour. we find the sculptor “i am bit crack whales”: and two of his friends on their native islands, in 2018. Their mission: to build “a pointed ass”. A traditional boat from the Madeleine Islands, formerly borrowed by fishermen. “One of our friends filmed us doing it. “Directed by Marie-Christine Lavoie. James Gray, he will be broadcast a second time in the village hall, this Sunday, August 24 at 2 p.m. Sunday.