Artivism in Bordeaux at the Manpaï center

What stood out was how the public’s choices perfectly aligned with Manapi’s core values. Victoria Tasch’s contribution, for instance, focused on sustainability and the environment. She brought her handmade paper, created from invasive plants and stone, which she transformed into a insectarium like installation at the gallery. Her work, depicting the migration patterns of butterflies and dragonflies among other insects and flowers, will be on display until March 16, 2025.

Tori Tasch is an American artist specializing in printmaking, papermaking, and the creation of artist books. For seven years, she supported artists as a resident mentor at RedLine Milwaukee, while also teaching in the public school system (15 years) and at St. Bruno’s parochial school (10 years). Additionally, Tasch has been an artist-in-residence at the Lynden Sculpture Garden, StayHome, Artsplace, and the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. These residencies allow her to combine her need for studio work with her commitment to community engagement. Tori holds a BFA from Carroll University and has extensive experience in teaching, exhibiting, and receiving numerous awards. Her sculptural books have been widely exhibited in the United States, as well as in Japan, Mexico, France, and Canada. Her works are part of private collections, including the Brooklyn Art Library, the special collections of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Saitama Museum of Art. A former president of the Wisconsin Visual Artists and the Milwaukee Area Teachers of Art, Tasch continues to serve on the boards of both organizations. She is also a resident artist at Studio 224, a community printmaking studio located in Port Washington, Wisconsin, where she focuses on papermaking and exploring printmaking techniques.

Following this, starting on March 26, 2025, the gallery will showcase the work of Rebecca Sørensen, a multifaceted artist who excels both as a visual creator and as a soprano with the Bordeaux National Opera House. Sørensen has spent over a decade working with repurposed textiles, particularly embroidery, which she dyes using natural methods in her Bordeaux studio. Her intricate, hand-sewn pieces – often crafted during her opera rehearsals – serve as meditative tools, blending art and mindfulness. Inspired by the themes of love and mourning often found in classical opera, Sørensen translates these into abstract compositions that echo the principles of the Bauhaus school, where form and function meet to create a harmonious artistic vision. Thus, her collection also includes functional yet artistic elements such as shawls, decorative window panels, and even custom-made cup holders, all crafted with the same attention to detail and natural dye techniques, seamlessly blending art with everyday practicality.