Sweet Mementos Exhibition at Les Territoires, Montreal 2014
Sophia Burke presents sublime images of pastries. Whether each artwork presents a chocolate or cheesecake, these pastries are put on a pedestal through a delicate and polished representation. The whiteness of the images’ background, almost clinical or scientific, revives the skill of making pastry and other important culinary techniques, underlining the corresponding importance of technique in visual art. Much like portraits, these large images gives each pastry, its own unique personality as if they were characters with a personal narrative. The personal and family history of Sophia Burke is an important part of this story. Her grandparents were the owners of ”Liberty” pastry shop in Vancouver until January 2014. She grew up there, watching and helping her grandfather create his famous local pastries. The sound presented in the exhibition recalls her grandfather’s favorite artist, Artie Shaw. This music often played in the family bakery. This work is both an intimate portrait and a historical archive. Sophia Burke received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University with distinction in design and photography. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, France, Japan and the United States. She received the Charles C. Gurd Award from Concordia University allowing her to participate in a residency at Vermont Studio Center during October 2012. The online magazine Wondereur recently published her work. Sophia Burke (a Vancouver native) lives and works in Montreal and Toronto