The painting above is Breakthrough. The painting is 74″ x 50″ and done in oils. Here Monique Germaine Morency contrasts the then deteriorating Gastown with the relatively new and popular Granville Island in Vancouver British Columbia. As cobblestones erupt and puppets fade from view on the right, the bustle of Granville Island Market provides a sharp contrast to the unpopulated Gastown. The limp and un-manipulated puppets are a sharp counterpoint to the vital characters on the left of the painting.
On the right are two puppets (figures which are manipulated totally by others) who are dying and slipping down into the earth. Shoots from their transformed bodies are thrusting through the brick to the left and finally transformed into a vigorous new life that has roots and strength of its own and the power to make a space for itself. The left side of the painting represents our conscious selves (you may recognize Granville Island Market) with her younger child Peter counting his money, while the right side symbolizes our unconscious (scenes from Gastown). As in all the Artist’s paintings, the two unite to form a whole.
In February 2020, Monique seems to be experiencing a sort of “Breakthrough” as her world is changing fast because she now understands what true forgiveness really means thanks to Wissam M. Soufi who has been a healing presence in her life although he couldn’t begin to know how much.