Johanne Allard

Johanne Allard (b. 1976) is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans sculpture, embroidery, and multimedia installations. Based in Lebanon since 2000, Allard holds a BA in Theater and Visual Arts from the University of Quebec in Montreal, where she studied under acclaimed bronze sculptor Arto Tchakmakchian, whose mentorship profoundly influenced her artistic approach.

Allard’s work is rooted in themes of resilience, identity, and the collective impact of conflict. After moving to Beirut, she taught art and theater, directed plays, and joined New York’s Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory in 2007, studying directly under its founder Augusto Boal. Her workshops for educators and community leaders in Beirut explored the role of art in social change and community healing.

Since 2011, Allard has developed a distinctive body of sculptural work, blending traditional embroidery with contemporary symbolism. Using sculpted insects as a medium, she intricately embroiders wings with motifs representing war and nature, creating a dialogue between personal memory and cultural heritage. Her recent projects delve into the intimate realities of trauma, examining how individual and societal endurance are tested and transformed by tragedy.

In 2021, Allard received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to create Eat of Me While I Sleep, a multimedia installation that reflects on collective trauma and resilience. Her work has since continued to evolve, inviting audiences to reflect on the intersections of beauty, suffering, and hope.