The visual alchemist re-contextualising everyday objects on Instagram

Given the fact that our phones are basically never out of our hands these days, it’s easy to get lost scrolling through endless images on Instagram without really taking any notice of what’s in front of you. The same goes for our daily surroundings – or at least the finer details. That’s why Montreal-based visual artist Gab Bois (@gabbois) took it upon herself to get creative and re-contextualise those mundane, everyday objects and scenarios via her visually-arresting – and sometimes pretty discomforting and mildly grotesque – original images.

Even if you’re yet to hit follow on her account, chances are you’ve probably already seen a regram of her work on your feed. Exploring the everyday details often considered ordinary or mundane – a torn fingernail, the heel of a shoe, ear-piercings, pill boxes, a razor, or plug sockets – @gabbois seeks to challenge normality via her imaginative and unexpected object uses and pairings. Think jean fly zippers that unzip to reveal an IRL set of teeth, pierced and padlocked lips, and a Chanel bra stuffed with raw chicken breasts.

“I like to think of it as a kind of personal moodboard,” says Bois of her unique account that’s now amassed 124k followers. “I remember having a specific idea in my head during a French grammar class. I couldn’t shake it out so I left in the middle of the class to go home and take a picture of it. The rest happened from there."

@gabbois isn’t short of inspiration – she quite literally finds it everywhere, at all times. “The (ideas) usually come to me at the most random time. I will be at work or at home and I’ll be looking at something that’s making me think of something else, then something crazy comes up,” she explains. “I like to work from what I know. That’s the only way I feel like my process is staying authentic. I also get some ideas from dreams. I try my best to write them down when I can remember them, I find it a great exercise for stimulating creativity.”

The process from concept to creation is a quick one. “When I get an idea, I often want to shoot it as soon as I can because I’m scared that if I don’t, I’ll lose interest in it,” she says. “I’m all about doing it yourself and I have a lot of craft supplies at home so I will usually use what I already have and find a way to make it work.” With many of her ideas visualised as macro close-ups of the human anatomy, for @gabbois, her own body is the preferred canvas – a decision that’s partly due to practicality. “It just saves me a lot of trouble and time in general," she adds.

When it comes to her experience using Instagram as a platform for her creativity, though, like many she offers up a mixed review. “On the one hand, it has allowed me to create an amazing follower base for my work,” she notes. “But, on the other hand it’s allowed pretty much anyone to use or steal my work as they please with no repercussion whatsoever.”

We suggest you hit follow on @gabbois for daily visual stimulation from the OG – and in the (highly likely) scenario you might decide to regram? Make sure to give credit where credit’s due.

@gabbois