From Chaos
Meet Olivier Monfet, the Montreal artist who creates life-like images by breaking glass.
A likeness in broken glass of UFC Champion Georges St-Pierre by artist Olivier Monfet
Q:Your work is remarkable in that it’s a creation that isn’t possible without destruction. What are your thoughts on 2nd chances, overcoming challenges, and picking up the broken pieces in our lives to build something new?
A: Learning to dance with the broken glass and guiding it in the best direction possible. That balance of challenge and excitement lies in staying open to what life offers and embracing its unpredictability. It’s about doing the best you can with the hand you’re dealt, rather than chasing some predetermined idea of perfection. To me, imperfection holds a beauty all its own.
Q:Fine handcraft is precise and intricate -- how do you create such fine detail work using such a chaotic approach?
A:It’s really a two-phase process—an exploration that unfolds across multiple layers of glass. The front layer is always approached with precision and delicacy: a tiny, minimalist break made using a diamond-point hammer, creating an intricate rhythm of thousands upon thousands of light taps. I use a variety of hammers, each chosen depending on the type of crack or dent I want to create. This is where the dance with the glass truly begins. Finally, as the layers near completion, I begin merging them—layering one over another to create a final piece that holds both strength and fragility in balance.
Olivier Monfet and UFC Champion Georges St-Pierre
Q:You’ve focused on musicians, athletes, and artists as your subjects – how important is sacrifice when pursuing one’s passions?
A:Yes, although my current work is taking on a more personal and meaningful storyline, many of the earlier models represented artists, musicians, and athletes—individuals who inspired me through the duality of their lives: the success of their professional careers contrasted with the often tragic undertones of their personal stories.
“Imperfection holds a beauty all its own.” - Olivier Monfet
Q:Bixlers is the official jeweler of UFC. We know that you did a special piece with Georges St. Pierre, could you share your experience with him?
A:At first, it wasn’t a planned project at all—not a commissioned piece by him or anyone else. It was simply a subject I felt embodied ultimate strength, paired with a beautiful paradox: a gentle, soft-spoken, calm, and introspective side. He allowed himself to be vulnerable and openly speak about his fears, which I found incredibly inspiring. Then came the magic of social media—I posted the video, and it eventually reached him. He shared it, and soon after, someone close to him reached out to purchase the artwork as a gift. I was fortunate enough to present it to him in person—such a powerful moment of human connection.
Q:Again, considering your subjects, you choose people who have achieved excellence in a craft – How would you define excellence? What elevates a work of craft into a work of art?
A:Oh, that’s a complex question—and honestly, it’s probably not always the same drive that brings me into the studio each morning. But the one constant for me is the act of play. Once I close the studio door, I stop thinking about being an artist, the gallery, the clients... and I just explore. I play.
For me it’s much more about the process than the results. If they people like it, great. If they don’t—who cares? You made something that felt right to you.
Olivier Monfet’s exhibition at Montreal art gallery Maison Keï Akai
Q:How do you know a piece is complete? Is it a feeling? An instinct? Is it tempting to go back and keep refining?
A:Great question. There’s always that moment when the piece starts to speak for itself. You walk back into the studio one day, look at it, and sure—you could always add a dot here, a crack there. That’s the thing about chasing “perfection”; it’s endless.
But then there’s that moment when I look at it and, in a strange way, it no longer feels like mine. It’s taken on a life of its own. That’s when I allow myself to be vulnerable—knowing that other eyes will see it, feel something (or not), appreciate it (or not). At that point, playtime is over. And already, I’m looking forward to the next playdate.
