Pierre Bourgault is the son of Jean-Julien Bourgault, a renowned Saint Jean Port Joli craftsman. Growing up in the lower St Lawrence, his contact with water has influenced his work and his navigational experiences have altered and shaped his outlook on life.

One of the recurring motifs in his work is the notion of shelter. This shelter makes reference to a private space and its model is the interior of a boat where everything is arranged according to limited space.

Carl Johnson has noted: "Even if the works seem well anchored in their respective sites, outside or in a museum, their sense of movement and navigational adventure attracts and appeals to visitors." Pierre Bourgault's work is about territory and in this notion of territory is a profound social vision.

It is about our relationship to geology and animals, questioning the role of the artist, the environment and relationships to reality.