ROCKPORT — During the month of December, the Rockport Public Library will feature a show of multidimensional mixed media art from abstract assemblist sculptor André Benoit. The display will showcase Benoit’s signature human and animal forms and iconic motifs created with repurposed wooden remnants. The exhibit will be located on the “Art Wall” in the library’s lower level. 

In addition to wood fragments, Benoit’s work incorporates flotsam and jetsam from the shoreline, trim work from renovated homes, as well as broken and discarded furniture.

“What I most enjoy about my work with salvaged materials,” says Benoit, in a news release, “are the stories behind my acquisition of them, and the opportunity to meld unrelated pieces into a composition that commands a second look.” 

The aged components are laden with contours and patina from exposure to the outdoors, the ocean, and the rigors of their previous purposes. As for color and finish, Benoit says, “My use of pigment is sparing in degree to prevent its domination of the overall impression and not to obscure the beauty of the surface of the wood. I embrace the concept of Wabi-sabi with the intentional use of asymmetry and a somewhat unfinished appearance to capture the spontaneity and enhance the overall impression of my work.”

André Benoit lives in Boothbay Harbor. In addition to the exhibit at the Rockport Library, Benoit’s work can be seen on display and for sale throughout the Midcoast at the Knox County Airport, Archipelago in Rockland, Carver Hill Gallery in Camden, and Lincolnville Fine Art Gallery. To learn more about the artist, visit andrebenoit-art.com.