About

Originally from Quebec City, Mireille Gagnon is the creator behind the home goods brand Margot. She initially earned a bachelor's degree in graphic design from Laval University and later graduated from the ceramics program at the Maison des Métiers d'Art de Québec. Her experience in these two complementary fields significantly influences her vision of objects and her work, which stands out for its formal, precise, and minimalist character. Eager to share her passion and knowledge with the next generation, she also dedicates part of her time to teaching. Her studio is located in the Mile End, in Montreal.

Pushing the limits of the material. This is perhaps what most defines Mireille’s work. Inspired by the notions of duality and paradox, she works with clay, a malleable substance that retains every gesture and movement. She seeks to control an uncontrollable material, one subject to multiple chemical and physical transformations that present constant challenges. As a result, she must work with rigor and precision to create pieces and artworks that meet the high standards she sets for the material itself.

The relationship between form and function lies at the core of her reflection and practice, grounded in the belief that an object’s function should not restrict its structural exploration and that every object is, above all, a composition of forms and volumes. Her goal is to analyze objects first from a formal rather than utilitarian perspective, focusing on the geometric composition at their foundation. By deconstructing these elements, she reveals the richness of a minimalist approach, where forms and proportions are central, and where graphic precision converses with materiality. To highlight the authenticity of the medium and the primacy of form, she favors refined, understated surface treatments.

Photo credits: Michael Godmer Studio by Catherine C. Lavallée, Johany Sergerie, and Marie-Pier St-Laurent