Geneviève Castrée

Geneviève Elverum (née Gosselin; 9 April 1981 – 9 July 2016), also known as Geneviève Castrée, was a Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, and musician from Quebec. She once recorded under the name Woelv[1][2] and later switched to Ô PAON.[3]

Geneviève Castrée
Castrée performing as Ô PAON alongside Earth and Mount Eerie in Leuven, Belgium in March 2012
Born
Geneviève Gosselin

(1981-04-09)April 9, 1981
Loretteville, Quebec, Canada
DiedJuly 9, 2016(2016-07-09) (aged 35)
Anacortes, Washington, U.S.
Spouse(s)
(
m. 2003)
Children1
Musical career
Genres
Occupation(s)
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active2000–2016
LabelsL'Oie de Cravan
Associated actsPhil Elverum
Websitewww.pwelverumandsun.com

Early Life

Geneviève Gosselin was born in Loretteville, Quebec,[4] and later lived in the Pacific Northwestern United States.[2] She grew up reading Tintin comics from an early age, so much so that she eventually entered, studied for, and won a Tintin competition. She was drawing comics influenced by artists she loved from an early age; these include: Hergé, Renée French, Chester Brown, Julie Doucet, and Argentinian artist Quino.[5] When Gosselin was five her father left her and her mother.[5]

At age fifteen Gosselin travelled around Canada and reunited with her absentee father.[5] Although their relationship was strained Gosselin's father did build her a log cabin to live in.[5] Also in her teens, Gosselin began her cartooning career, publishing minicomics and adopting the name Geneviève Castrée.

Artistry

In 2000 Montreal publisher L'Oie de Cravan published her first book Lait Frappé,[6] followed by Die Fabrik that same year[7] and Roulatheque Roulatheque Nicolore in 2001, but it was Pamplemoussi in 2004 that servered as her breakthrough.[5] The release marked her first major movement to integrate her music and visual art into one cohesive practice.[5]

In 2013 Castrée, released, her best-known work, Susceptible, a memoir that chronicled Castrée's childhood growing up in Quebec.[5] In 2015 Maman Sauvage a book of poems in French detailing Castrée's feelings as a mother, was published under the name Geneviève Elverum.[7] In October 2016 she was posthumously included in The Best American Comics 2016, edited by Roz Chast. In 2017 Castrée's final book A Bubble was posthumously published.[7] The book centers around Castrée's relationship with her daughter and her struggle with cancer which she compares to living in a bubble, hence the title.[7] The book was completed by Portland artist Anders Nilsen.[7]

Musical career

A self taught musician, Castrée released in total eight albums under the names of Woelv and later Ô PAON. Her first was release was an accompanying LP to her 2004 book Pamplemoussi.[7][8] Recorded and mixed by Phil Elverum the album is lo-fi in nature with Castrée singing in French over "childlike" instruments, such as a keyboard and recorder.[7] Her next release was the 2006 EP, Gris, via Elverum’s label P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd. Gris saw her expand on her already established lo-fi sound.[7]

Her final release under the Woelv name came in 2007 as Tout Seul Dans La Forêt En Plein Jour, Avez-vous Peur? (translated as Alone in the Forest in the Middle of the Day, Are You Scared?).[7] The album was recorded in Olympia, Washington with Elverum once again involved.[7][9]

She also collaborated with Phil Elverum, Karl Blau, Bret Lunsford.[5][10][11]

Personal life
Castrée and Elverum, her husband of 12 years, playing together in 2006

Castrée was married to musician Phil Elverum, who has released music as The Microphones and Mount Eerie.[12] They met in 2003 and married in 2004. They originally intended to move to Canada but after searching for residency decided to remain in the United States, in the town Anacortes, Washington where both Castrée and Elverum would become influential in the local music scene, in particular the forming of the What The Heck fest.[5][13] Castrée was also close friends with musician Lori Goldston and poet Joanne Kyger.[14][15]

She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015, shortly after the birth of her and Elverum's only child.[16] In June 2016, a GoFundMe account was set up by Elverum to assist with their finances.[16] She died on July 9, 2016.[12] Her husband soon posted an update: "She died at home with me and her parents holding her, hopefully having reached some last minute peace".[17] The Mount Eerie albums, A Crow Looked at Me, Now Only and Lost Wisdom pt. 2 chronicle her life and mourn her death.[7]

Bibliography

Books

All titles published as Geneviève Castrée except where indicated:

  • Lait Frappé, L'Oie de Cravan, 2000.
  • Die Fabrik, Reprodukt, 2000.
  • Roulathèque Roulathèque Nicolore, L'Oie de Cravan, 2001.
  • Pamplemoussi, LP and book, L'Oie de Cravan, 2004.
  • Masques, Sweet Dream Press, 2007.
  • Tout Seul Dans La Forêt En Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur? (as Woelv), CD/LP and book, K Records, 2007.
  • Enfance, self-published anonymously, 2010
  • Susceptible, Drawn & Quarterly/L’Apocalypse, 2013.
  • Maman Sauvage (poetry, as Geneviève Elverum), L'Oie de Cravan, 2015.
  • A Bubble, Drawn & Quarterly, 2017.
  • Maman Apprivoisée (poetry, as Geneviève Elverum), L'Oie de Cravan, 2018.
  • Kramers Ergot Four, Ginkgo Press, 2003.
  • Drawn & Quarterly Showcase #3, Drawn & Quarterly, 2005.
  • Drawn & Quarterly: Twenty-Five Years of Contemporary Cartooning, Comics, and Graphic Novels, Drawn & Quarterly, 2012.
  • The Best American Comics 2016, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.

Exhibitions
  • Orange Sanguine (drawings and dolls), The Crying Room, Vancouver, BC, 2002.[18]
  • Deviate (with Allison Cole), Junc Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2006.[19]
  • Masques, Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2007.[20]
  • Geneviève Castrée : Drawings, Adam Baumgold Gallery, New York, NY, 2008.[21]
  • Débarrassée/Décomplexée, Presspop Gallery/Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2010.[22]
  • Hivers, Book Gallery Popotame, Tokyo, 2013.[23]
  • Susceptible , Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2013.[24]
  • Forest of Suicides (group show), Galeria de Muerte, Tokyo, 2013.[25]
  • Drawn & Quarterly 25th (group show), Galerie Martel, Paris, 2016.[26]
  • A Bubble, Editions de la Pasteque, Montreal, QC , 2018.[27]
  • This is Serious (group show), Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, 2019.[28]

Discography

Woelv releases
  • Pamplemoussi (as Geneviève Castrée), LP and book, L'Oie de Cravan, 2004.
  • Gris, CD-EP/10" record, P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2006.
  • Le niveau de la mer/Bête à Cheval, 7" record, K Records, 2007.
  • Tout Seul Dans La Forêt En Plein Jour, Avez-vous Peur?, CD/LP and book, K Records, 2007

Woelv compilation appearances
  • Le Béluga on Trust In Sirens: What The Heck Fest 2004, CD, Kelp Monthly, 2004.
  • Réconciliation on Flotsam and Jetsam: What The Heck Fest 2005, CD, Kelp Monthly, 2005.
  • Le Déserteur (Boris Vian) on Free The Bird: What The Heck Fest 2006, CD, Kelp Monthly, 2006.

Ô PAON releases
  • a)b)c)d)e), 7" record, TAUS 001 Disques Ô PAON, 2009.
  • Courses, CD/LP, TAUS 003 Disques Ô PAON, 2010.
  • Quatorze/Quanze Ans, 10" record, TAUS 004 Disques Ô PAON, 2013.
  • Fleuve, LP, TAUS 005 Disques Ô PAON, 2015.

Ô PAON compilation appearances
  • Raffinerie on What The Heck Fest 2007, CD, Charming Tedious, 2007
  • Les Cerfs-Volants on The Second Marriage Compilation, CD, Marriage Records, 2007.
  • Le Retour on No Band Is An Island, CD, Knw-Yr-Own, 2008.
  • Nunavik on Songs For The Arctic Ocean, digital, Beat is Murder Records, 2009.
  • Certitude (D+) on What The Heck?, CD, Knw-Yr-Own, 2009.
  • Films Americains on Yeti Ten, CD and magazine, Yeti, 2010.
  • Evolution (alternative version) on Resume vol. 2, digital, 7 e.p., 2011.

Collaborations and appearances

References
  1. "Band To Watch: Woelv." Stereogum. October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  2. "True tales: Daniel Johnston, double-edged." guardian.co.uk. November, 26 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  3. "A WOELV Interview." The Lumière Reader. November, 19 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-18. Archived May 22, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Adam Baumgold Gallery. March 20, 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  5. Clough, Rob (July 14, 2016). "Geneviève Castrée: 1981-2016 |". The Comics Journal. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  6. Clough 2016.
  7. Albertson, Jasmine (March 28, 2019). "Beyond A Crow: Looking at the Life and Works of Geneviève Castrée". KEXP-FM. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  8. "Ô Paon". www.opaon.ca. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
  9. Howe, Brian (July 17, 2008). "Woelv: Tout Seul dans la Forêt en Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur?". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  10. Thompson, Paul (September 4, 2008). "Elverum, Lunsford, Blau Release New D+ Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  11. Barakat, Farah (April 15, 2013). "Aidan Baker Already Drowning". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  12. Yoo, Noah. "Geneviève Elverum Has Died". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  13. Marc Maron (June 8, 2017). "WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - EPISODE 818 - MARK MULCAHY / PHIL ELVERUM". YouTube (Podcast). Event occurs at 26:00-28:30. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  14. Joffe, Justin (March 21, 2017). "Beyond Grief: How Mount Eerie Made an Album About His Wife's Death". Observer. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  15. "Lori Goldston: Floating in the High Cold Air". The Stranger. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  16. Monroe, Jazz. "Phil Elverum Seeks Donations for Wife's Cancer Treatment". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  17. Greene, Jayson (March 13, 2017). "Death Is Real: Mount Eerie's Phil Elverum Copes With Unspeakable Tragedy". Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  18. "ORANGE SANGUINE new dolls and drawings by GENEVIEVE CASTREE". the crying room. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  19. "LA - "Deviate" (04/15/06 - 05/07/06)". Hustler of Culture. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  20. "TAB Event - Genevieve Castree Exhibition Book Gallery Popotame". Tokyo Art Beat. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  21. "Geneviève Castrée : Drawings". artnet. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  22. "Geneviève Castrée Solo Exhibit". Presspop. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  23. "Run, don't walk, to Tokyo". Drawn & Quarterly. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  24. "We're Susceptible to Geneviève Castrée at the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery!". Fantagraphics. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  25. "TAB Event - Forest of Suicides". Tokyo Artbeat. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  26. "Drawn & Quarterly 25th Exhibit in Paris". Drawn & Quarterly.
  27. "Genevieve Castree exhibit in Monteal". Drawn & Quarterly. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  28. "This is Serious" exhibit at the Art Gallery of Hamilton". Drawn & Quarterly. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

Works cited
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