The Altered Familiar

New series by Maïté Côté

The Altered Familiar explores the transformation of a universally cherished icon: the teddy bear. In this series, Maïté Côté merges hyper-realism with whimsical surrealism, reimagining these childhood symbols with traits of other animals. Each painting invites viewers to see beyond the familiar, uncovering layered identities that blur the lines between comfort and wildness, from bears with leopard fur to those cloaked in snake scales. Through meticulous detail and imaginative fusion, the series challenges perceptions of identity, adaptation, and the beauty of coexistence in hybrid forms.