Haute Vitesse

Gabriel Sabourin, aka Haute Vitesse, is a Montreal-based illustrator. His approach to characters, objects, and compositions is rooted in precision and absurdity. He loves things on wheels, affordable hedonism, and observing his surroundings.

I began by drawing inspiration from paintings in the history of Northern Renaissance art and the way animals are depicted in them in a supernatural and absurd manner. I drew a “digital”-style cloud pattern as a canvas and then inserted a fitting animal into it: the modern pigeon.

A relic of the past, this bird was part of an impressive system of ultra-fast messaging during wars. Now, it has become a true racing pigeon in pigeon-fancying events. Their endurance and sense of direction remind me of bicycle couriers.

I would like to pay tribute to these unloved birds that have been abandoned by society.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to Partage et Solidarité, which collects unsold food from stores to distribute it free of charge to the community and without proof or documents. 

We are delighted to support this charity, which Gabriel chose and which is particularly close to his heart.