Artists Gabrielle Laïla Tittley (Pony) , Noire Mouliom , Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev , and Sasha Ömer are the faces of Montreal-based eyewear brand Atelier Ora 's Spring 2024 campaign . They were asked: "How important are art and culture?" Discover their inspiring answers.
Importance of art and culture
For our spring Atelier Ora campaign, we gathered friends, members of Montreal's artist community, to ask them the following question: “How important are art and culture to you?”
Their responses weave a deeply human and curiously common thread across the four artists. They speak of art as a medium of union, transcending barriers. It's a method of introspection and reflection on the past, and a stance toward creating a better future. These words are entirely aligned with the dreams we hold at Atelier Ora.
Head to Instagram to follow Atelier Ora: the small eyewear workshop with big ideas.
Pony wears the Amber Tortoise Botanical
“Art and culture are the foundation of our communities.
This is what allows us to overcome our differences and unite in wonder, before the beauty and magic of art.” -
Gabrielle Laïla Tittley (Pony) - Illustrator, entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist
Black wears the Black Volt in solar
“My childhood was marked by the influence of my father, a painter and importer of African art in Canada and the United States. This early immersion in the art world profoundly shaped my perception. Furthermore, every Saturday afternoon, my mother took us to the library, where my sister, brother, and I spent hours devouring books and exploring the art of literature. Thus, for me, art in all its forms broadens my horizons by allowing me to understand the world from various angles. “ -
Noire Mouliom - photographer and multidisciplinary artist
Sasha is wearing Volt Forest Green
“One thing to understand about art in general is that its practice contains all the answers to our needs and questions to become the most beautiful version of ourselves. The one who lives in harmony with ourselves.” -
Sasha Omer - musician, host of the Creative Mood podcast
Nastia wears Botanique Nude
“Art is important because it allows us to pause in our world and reclaim it, question it, embellish it, dream about it, love it and its opposite, improve it, and share it. Art in all its forms allows us to commemorate and imagine in order to progress better.”
Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev - Transdisciplinary photographer
Pony wears the Helios Tokyo Tortoise in sunglasses
“Culture gives us the ability to bring people from all kinds of backgrounds together in one room.” - Gabrielle Laïla Tittley (Pony) , Illustrator, entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist
Black wears the Helios Rootbeer
“To begin with, art enriches my life by allowing me to explore the world through diverse perspectives. Whether through photography, painting, music, literature, or other forms of expression, art opens the doors to creativity and imagination. It becomes a welcome escape from the everyday, allowing me to explore new ideas and experience a rich and diverse range of emotions.” -
Noire Mouliom - photographer and multidisciplinary artist
Sasha wears the limited edition apple green Sol in sunglasses
“Learning to be diligent and all the benefits that come with it.
Learn to love the process and follow through with your ideas. Develop a critical sense of yourself and the world around you.
Learning not to compare yourself and the value of focusing on self-development.
Learning that our strengths are our weaknesses.
Find your way and listen to your voice.
Discover our place in the world and the impact we can have on it.”
Sasha Ömer - musician, host of the Creative Mood podcast
Nastia is wearing the Printemps Rose Crystal
“Without art or culture, we would have no breaks. No images to make our heads spin and stop for a moment, no stories to read or listen to to forget our own for a moment, no sounds to cut off the sounds in our heads for a while. We would go crazy.” -
Nastia Cloutier-Ignatiev - Transdisciplinary photographer
Pony wears the Amber Tortoise Botanical
“This universal gathering power is what moves me most about art and it’s also what makes me most proud of my practice.” -
Gabrielle Laïla Tittley (Pony) , Illustrator, entrepreneur and multidisciplinary artist
Black wears the Volt Tokyo Tortoise
“Furthermore, art and culture are essential ways to connect people and transcend barriers. They remind us that, despite our differences, we all share a common humanity. Art is a universal language that can spark dialogues between individuals from different cultures. Finally, art and culture play a crucial role in preserving history and identity. They reflect the heritage of our society, document our evolution as a civilization, and preserve precious traditions. As an artist [or art lover], I find deep satisfaction in contributing to this preservation, whether through my own creation or through the appreciation of the art and culture produced by others.” -
Noire Mouliom - photographer and multidisciplinary artist
Sasha wears the Nude Botany
“You ask me the question? I would say that being an artist is the most marginal thing one can aspire to.
In its most beautiful form, for me, being an artist is to proclaim: I want to transcend.”
Sasha Ömer - musician, host of the Creative Mood podcast