If joy had a material form, it might look something like a glowing quilt stitched from bits of our everyday life soft, colourful, a little unruly, and impossible not to touch. That’s the world Studio Rat invites us into in their latest piece.
Based in Montreal, Studio Rat consists of Emily Allan and Dom Di Libero. The artists make work that lives between sculpture and installation, play and politics, waste and wonder. They look at the overwhelming and omnipresent plastic that surrounds us and question: what if this wasn’t just trash? What if it could become something that gathers people together, not apart?
Studio Rat were the 2025 recipients of the Fluevog Artist Grant. With this support, Emily and Dom brought to life Lamination 1.0 — a large suspended canopy conceived from hundreds of reclaimed plastic tiles. This vibrant installation was part of NuitBlanche Toronto 2025 and is built from contributions made by the community itself. Community workshops were held with participants who brought their own plastic waste materials to fuse and sew tiles, and perhaps leave a piece of themselves woven into the whole. It’s a mosaic of everyday materials and collective energy — a canopy assembled from many hands and many stories.
What’s so striking about Studio Rat isn’t just their aesthetic (though those colours and textures are undeniably incredible!), but their focus on making with, not making at. For example, the workshops held as part of Lamination 1.0 turned audiences into makers, spaces into studios, and discarded objects into works of art. Studio Rat’s practice is at once thoughtful and playful. Their pieces such as soft inflatables, quilted tiles, and cloud-like structures encourage viewers to think more deeply about everyday objects that we take for granted. Their works raise questions about materiality, ecology, and care, but do so without losing a sense of wonder. They are artworks that engage audience rather than lecture.
Studio Rat’s work has already made waves across Canada — from Arsenal Contemporary Art (Montréal) to the Design TO Festival and with Lamination 1.0, they invited viewers into a new kind of conversation about what art can be, how it moves through space, and how a community can shape it together.
Keep an eye on Studio Rat — there’s much more to come, and it’s bound to be soft, bold, playful and full of life. Follow Studio Rat on Instagram and check out its other important links here.
The Fluevog Artist Grant is a $10,000 fund that supports the creative growth and development of up-and-coming talents in the Fluevog community. Are you an emerging artist with a project in need of funding? The 2026 Fluevog Artist Grant is now open for applications!
