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November 2011
Marc
Séguin at the Museum
The “Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides” presents exhibition
by Marc Séguin entitled “La foi du collectionneur” (The Collector’s Faith)
contains works from five private collections in Quebec. The exhibition started
on Nov., 27, 2011, and continues until Feb., 12, 2012. There are fifty works
created during the years 1994-2011 representing a comprehensive overview of Marc
Séguin’s fascinating artwork.
Marc Séguin is a painter who creates an amazing dramatic world.
The powerful symbolism of his works combines gestural and photographical
realism using scaled-down methods, and chromatic colours. His earlier works
depicted phantom characters such as those of Otto Dix, Munch and Rothko. He
later painted his vision of suicide and metamorphosis in his “Rosaces” series.
Marc
Séguin explores topics such as air crashes, car accidents, and train
derailment. He uses controversial historical characters such as the famous spy
Mata Hari, and the terrorist Saif Al-Adel in shown in a summer dress. These
re-created personalities are done in charcoal or in paint. He masks their faces
or parts of the body thus rejecting reality. His Pessimistic series entitled
“Ruines” executed in charcoal and ashes, delves into the destruction of war.
The work displayed includes from very small 26x20 cm canvases, and
small prints, to the humongous “Civil Death”, 2010, oil and ashes 274.5 x 396.5
cm. There are canvases such as “I love America and America loves me – part 3”,
2008, oil and Coyote on canvas 213 x 306 cm, and “La buse pattue” 2003 featuring
an actual hawk, and “Infallibility – Léon XIII”, 2008, oil, feathers and tar on
canvas, 275 x 214 cm.
Marc
Séguin currently lives and works in Montreal, Québec and Brooklyn, NY. He holds
a Fine Arts Bachelors degree from Concordia University. In 1996, his first solo
show attracted the attention of critics and collectors. In 1997 the Montreal
Contemporary Art Museum included Marc Séguin in a group exhibition. In 2000 he
was invited to do a solo show at age twenty nine. Since then he has exhibited
extensively in thirty solo shows, and as many group exhibitions, and
international fairs in Madrid, Barcelona, Venice, Berlin, Cologne, New York,
Miami, Chicago, Brussels and Namur. The Montreal Contemporary Art Museum, the
Montreal Fine Arts Museum, and the National Art Museum of Quebec acquired major
works by this artist. His paintings and prints are found in Canadian Corporate,
and private collections in Quebec, Canada, United States and Europe. He is
represented by the Galerie Simon Blais (Montreal) and Mike Weiss (New York).
The catalogue “Marc Séguin: la foi du collectionneur” accompanying
this exhibition is available for sale at the Museum. The exhibition continues
until February 12, 2012. Opening hours: Tue., to Sun., noon to 5 p.m. Musée
d’art contemporain des
Laurentides, 101, place du Curé-Labelle, Saint-Jérôme.
www.museelaurentides.ca (450) 432-7171.
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Photo: A Painting by Marc Séguin, "I Love
America"
Photo: Marc
Séguin, “Ruine 2”, 2010, oil, charcoal and ashes on canvas, 152.5 x 213 cm.
(Private Collection.) Copyright Marc Séguin/SODRAC (2011).
Photo: Andréanne
Roy, curator of the exhibition “La foi du collectionneur” explaining the work of
Mark Seguin at the Vernissage, Nov. 27, at the Musée d’art contemporain des
Laurentides.
September 2011
Five
Women Artists and an Auction at the Museum
September 11 to November 13, 2011
Photo by Serge Desrosiers:
Lisette Savaria, Suzanne Lafrance, Nadia Myre, Suzie Pilon, and
Louise Bloom.
This is an exhibition of artists who
work in different techniques expressing diverse themes. The museum
arranged an enclosed separate space for each of the artists.
“Encounters” by Nadia Myre are those between the “First Nations”
and the white Europeans. Nadia draws from her Algonquin heritage
using the art of beading. She presents one series of digital prints
where black patterns are beaded into large white spaces; and the
second is a set of beaded geometric patterns in red on white.
Suzie Pilon’s “Opuscule” collection is combined of
semi-abstract images. She has developed a technique of print making
using steel plates for the past ten years. The large prints are part
of the images she has been developing for her artist’s book project
“Les croix de chemin” (Road Crosses) for which she incorporated
digital imagery and text, thus combining traditional and current
print-making techniques.
« Ce qui m’importe » by Lisette Savaria – this artist
presents works executed in a variety of techniques and materials
including porcelain, stained glass and metal. With her installation
« Parties d’un tout » she presents the mother bowl that gave birth
to thirty five porcelain bowls displayed on the wall, symbolising
the potential of each.
4 mains + 1 chant by Suzanne Lafrance –the artist worked with
a pantomime artist to draw the images of « four hands and one song
». She was inspired by notes she asked people to write during the
Museum’s last year’s Estiv’Art project, the notes contained problems
that people wished to unload: anger, guilt, loneliness etc.
Louise Bloom combined words
into paper and canvas. Her imagery is inspired by the book “Alice in
Wonderland” by Louise Carroll and the drawings of Sir John Tenniel
(1820-1914) which became her iconography. Louise used the story that
was most familiar to her from her childhood to express her concerns
for the damage people are doing to our little planet and to each
other. Her painting “Down the Rabbit Hole”, 60 x 48", oil on canvas,
2011, is in a way the culmination of her travels with Alice who
embarks on a road to through the heart to find a pure heart.
This exhibition continues until November 13th. The museum is holding
its annual Art Auction on Sunday, November 20, at 2 p.m. Fifty
artists are included in the glossy catalogue the museum prepared for
this event. Museum hours are” Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, place du
Curé-Labelle, St. Jerome. 450 432-7171
www.museelaurentides.ca.
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August 2011
Estiv’Art and the
Bike Orchestra
Photo: One
of the giant bikes used by the band on wheels “Karel” who performed in the plaza
of the old train station in St. Jerome, Sat., Aug. 13 as part of Estiv’Art.
On Saturday, Aug., 13, the
Museum of Contemporary Art in St. Jerome celebrated Estiv'Art, a day filled with
activities for the whole family, including visitors from Montreal, who arrived
by train interacting with artists during the trip, a guided visit to the Steven
Siegel Exhibit, Walking Tours in the town of St. Jerome and, a very special
activity at the Plaza in front of the old train station. The public was invited
to try their hands at creating art with crushed newspapers and bent tree
branches and twigs. At the same time a unique musical ensemble Karel,
the band on wheels or "the Bike Orchestra" performed on mobile sculptures
manned by trained musicians. They were dressed in colourful costumes
and operating an array of percussion, and other instruments as well as a
computer generated electro-acoustic music, while navigating their giant
vehicles around the plaza, singing, acting, playing and interacting. A perfect
afternoon in the sun!
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Exciting Art Happenings at
the Museum
Estiv’Art
In concert with the Steven Siegel exhibition, the Laurentian Museum of
Contemporary Art features a special event “Estiv’art” - Sat., Aug., 13 between
10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Visitors may contribute to the creation of artwork with:
Chloe Charce, Pierre Leblanc, José-Luis Torres, Serge Marchetta and the group
Zoné Vert. There will also be a guided tour of Steven Siegel’s installation; a
musical performance by the Ensemble karel. And there will be a tour of art
displayed in public spaces within the city of St. Jerome – either walking or by
bike. And, last but not least, a workshop for children. The museum encourages
the public to participate in this special festive day.
Five
Laurentian Women Artists
Photo: “Pawn Party” a print
by Louise Bloom of Morin Heights, who participates in an exhibition at the Musée
d’art contemporain des Laurentides, opening September 11th.
From Sun.,
Sept., 11 to Nov., 13, the museum opens a new exhibition of the work of five
Laurentian Women Artists. Louise Bloom who has been working diligently
in the past three years developing, researching and producing images in various
printing methods, as well as large-sized paintings and an artist’s book on the
theme “Alice” who is metaphorically used to express concern for our little
planet.
Suzie
Pilon,
the program coordinator of CIEM (centre de l’Image et de l’Estampe de Mirabel)
who has been delving into creating Artists’ Books, creating compositions in
various print-making techniques, including wood cuts, combinations of digital
and intaglio images relating to Quebec’s heritage, as well as depicting images
inspired by what is happening in the world today, and human relationships.
Nadia
Myre
expresses herself using deep-rooted connectivity to her Algonquin ancestry,
using traditional tools, print making, video, woodwork and beading, and at times
criticising the way current world is run by giant conglomerates.
Lisette
Savaria,
who is known for her beautiful porcelain sculpted pieces, uses porcelain, clay,
glass, paper and bronze to harness light, space and movement in beautiful
three-dimensional items.
Suzanne
Lafrance
is an artist who uses charcoal and acrylic on paper, drawing the human face and
body, reflecting its vulnerability, children who represent a mute, silent
presence; endeavouring to create a dialogue and a concern towards the others.
Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, place du Curé-Labelle à
Saint-Jérôme.
Opening hours are Tue., to Sun., noon to 5 p.m. 450 432-7171 –
www.museelaurentides.ca.
June-July 2011
Biography by Steven Siegel
Steven Siegel is an internationally known US artist with a career
spanning over thirty years. In 2008 Siegel participated in the Sentier Art3 at
the Mirabel Park Bois du Belle-Rivière with an installation made of newspapers,
as are some of his other public art installations. His exhibition entitled
“Environment” is an imposing mural called “Biography” made of recycled
elements.
Photo by
Michel Dubreuil: Steven Siegel, Biography 2008-2010, (Detail.)
The installation
is seventy-five-foot-long. It combines a mixture of fabrics, newspapers, wood,
gadgets, cords, cables, plastic, yarn, beads and other colourful materials. It
forms a map of trash, as one of my friends exclaimed “An aging map!” A mass that
is changing the world’s topography, ancient geological layers covered by
horrendous quantities of mostly non-organic material coming from 21st century
debris. In his article entitled “We are the Landscape – Conversation with
Steven Siegel” (Sculpture, March 2010)”, John K. Grande says that Steven Siegel
re-invents “the role of sculpture for an eco-conscious planet.” While the
artist describes ‘Biography’ saying: “It is as a “timeline like a landscape…and
it involves many of the material that I have used in the past.” Allese Thomson
Baker says that Siegel nails “contemporary anxieties about the environment to
the wall.” (“Artforum”, New-York, NY Jan., 27–Feb., 26).
The exhibition opens June 19th and continues to Sept., 4.
Vernissage: Sun., June 19, at 2 p.m. Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides,
101, place du Curé-Labelle à Saint-Jérôme.
Opening hours
are Tue., to Sun., noon to 5 p.m. 450 432-7171
www.museelaurentides.ca .
* * *
May 2011
Symbols
of Quebec History by Pierre Leblanc
Quebec
sculptor Pierre Leblanc present an interesting exhibition including
installations of architectural models mounted on metal structures or on the
floor, as well as cake-like small bell tower models of various Quebec churches,
mounted on metal plates combined with engraved text. He treats Quebec’s
religious architecture as symbols of the past. The exhibition also includes an
altar piece displayed at the St. Jerome Church next to the museum. The
Exhibition
“Signes et
repères”
continues until June 12. The museum offers group guided tours (15 to 30 people)
of the exhibition as well as the altar piece at the St. Jerome Church, at a cost
of $2 per person.
Pierre Leblanc explains what inspired him to research religious architecture:
"We are a people without history. I have known for many years that Quebecers
have a problem identifying with the past. I am convinced that we do have a past
chiefly connected to religion which we prefer to keep silent. We have deprived
ourselves of our past and our traditional customs thus creating a cultural gap.”
Pierre Leblanc is known for his large metal installations in public spaces. In
this exhibition Pierre Leblanc deals with the symbolic aspect of religious
architecture of Quebec, in particular bell towers and church spires which are an
integral part of Quebec’s landscape.
In conjunction with the exhibition, an altarpiece made for the occasion will be
installed in the Cathedral of Saint-Jérôme located next to the Museum.
Born in Montreal in 1949, Pierre Leblanc was introduced to sculpture by André
Fournelle, and by working with other sculptors such as Armand Vaillancourt and
Robert Roussil. He has been exhibiting his work since 1972 in Quebec and
elsewhere in Canada, the United States and Europe. His work can bee found in
public and private collections including the Laurentian Museum of Contemporary
Art, the Lachine Museum, The Lower Saint-Laurent Museum, the National Museum of
Fine Arts of Quebec, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art There his works in
different public and private collections including Museum of contemporary art,
the Hamilton Art Gallery, Ontario, and the Kamloops Art Gallery in British
Columbia. Pierre Leblanc has installed more than 60 works across the Province of
Quebec.
Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, place du Curé-Labelle à
Saint-Jérôme.
Opening
hours are Tue., to Sun., noon to 5 p.m. 450 432-7171 –
www.museelaurentides.ca.
March 2011
John
McEwen – “I Think with Things”
Photo: John McEwen, Installation, 2009.
This winter, the Museum of Contemporary Art in St. Jerome is
treating the public with interesting, challenging as well as aesthetic
exhibitions. It started with Cal Lane, a woman artist who invaded the male
domain working with a torch and metal, yet creating intricate lace-like
patterns; Ed Pien a man who combines themes from his far-eastern heritage, and
does it with cords, paper, and metal, cut up in patterns reminiscent of lace and
knits. John McEwen, whose installations will be exhibited in March, draws on
Canadian history, animals, and creates star patterns in metal.
John McEwen is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art, and was
one of the founding members of the Toronto artist run centre, “A Space.” In
1972 John McEwen bought an old blacksmith shop in Hillside, Ontario, learned
welding at a college in Toronto, and taught himself blacksmithing skills. McEwen
has been exhibiting his work extensively, and by the early 1980s his works had
begun to gain significant attention in Canada and abroad. His work was shown in
Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.K. His
large-scale sculptures have been installed across Canada and the U.S. John
McEwen’s public commissions include “Western Channel” University of Lethbridge,
“Searchlight, Starlight, Spotlight” Toronto; “Weaving Fence and Horn”, Calgary;
“Between Heaven and Earth”, Toronto, “River as Thread/Canoe as Needle” Berlin,
Germany; “Canoe & Calliper” Toronto. In 2007 he received a Doctor of Fine Arts
from the University of Lethbridge.
John McEwen’s has been described as an “artist with persistent
vision.” He sculpts evocative animal forms of solid steel, and vessels
constructed from laser cut steel stars. His large-scale objects deal with
Canadian cultural history and ecology. McEwen says: “I think with things in
order to realize that we use up or destroy the life of the world at our own
peril.” The exhibition opens Sunday, March 6th at 2 p.m. and
continues to April 17th. Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides,
101, place du Curé-Labelle, St. Jerome. Opening hours: Tue., to Sun., noon to 5
p.m., 450 432-7171
www.museelaurentides.ca.
* * *
February
2011
Family Day at the Museum
On Sunday, February 13th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., families can visit
the mysterious passages of Ed Pien’s installations followed by a workshop of
Chinese lantern making inspired by the exhibition. Parents, grandparents,
friends come to experience it with your little darlings (aged 5 and up). Adults
may just join a one-hour guided tour of the exhibition at 4 p.m. Cost: Visit and
workshop $3 for members, $4 non-members or $10 for a family of three. Please
register: 450-432-7171
January 2011
Ed Pien -
“Déliaison-Unbinding”
Ed Pien is a Toronto based installation artist. He was born in
Taipei, Taiwan, moved to Canada when he was 11 years old; and
received his Master of Fine Arts from York University in 1984 and
his BFA from the University of Western Ontario in 1982. He has
taught at the Emily Carr Art and Design Institute as well as at the
University of Toronto and the Ontario College of Art and Design. Ed
Pien’s work has been shown in the Canada, the United States, the
United Kingdom, Mexico, Costa Rica, China, Germany, and Holland. Ed
Pien has been drawing for over twenty-five years. His work evolved
to incorporates ropes, cut-outs, sandbags, video projection and
sound elements to form immersive multi-media installations. This
artist draws on Eastern and Western cultures such as Asian ghost
stories, scrolls, calligraphic traditions, the play of light, and
the works of Hieronymus Bosch and Francisco Goya. Ed Pien has his
own unique language using multi-media intermingling with string,
paper cuttings and emerging peculiar figure silhouettes. His work
generates a perceptual experience and evokes the viewer’s
imagination.
The exhibition entitled “Déliaison-Unbinding” opening on January
16th at the Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, will continue
until February 27th. Vernissage will be held on January 16th at 2
p.m. Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, Place du
Curé-Labelle, St. Jerome: Tue., – Sun.: Noon to 5 p.m., 450 432-7171
www.muséelaurentides.ca <http://www.muséelaurentides.ca/> .
Photo left: Ed Pien, Corridor (detail), 2009, cords, paper, video,
installation.
Photo right: "Dreamland" by Ed
Pien.
Colours and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.
