Working at the intersection of craft, scientific inquiry, and archival processes, Duquette engages with locally-sourced earth materials and experimental ceramic techniques. Her practice explores the relationship between materiality, archaeological heritage, and identity, with a particular focus on gender fluidity and her experience as a transfeminine person. In her work, she confronts the tensions and contradictions she often feels within a world that predominantly validates binary constructions of identity. Recent work, including pieces selected for the Art Volt collection, experiment with the use of laser engraving on ceramic substrates as a way of archiving the memories of trans women who have shaped history.
Using clay as a medium that embodies both temporality and permanence, she creates ceramic objects that reflect on the presence and continuity of queer identities in history. Through evolving techniques influenced by encounters and discussions in her community, and by her multidisciplinary approach, Duquette’s practice challenges binary constructs and celebrates the full spectrum of gender expression.
Sam Duquette is a Québécoise multidisciplinary artist. In 2024 she received her BFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from Concordia University. With the collective Everything Already Present, Duquette explores the use of locally-sourced earth materials and alternative ceramic techniques, which she first encountered during a residency at the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark. Duquette has also worked with artist Nadia Myre in ceramics research and development for four years. Her work has been shown at artch Festival (Montréal), in an online exhibition with the Gardiner Museum (Toronto) as part of the International Ceramic Art Fair, and in group exhibitions in various venues in Montréal.
