Françoise Sullivan and Louis-Philippe Côté | Controlled turns

The gallery owner Simon Blais had the good idea to combine the works of Françoise Sullivan and Louis-Philippe Côté in an exhibition that awakens us to this capacity that talented painters have of knowing how to take gentle turns. And this cheerful and colorful display of works painted in 2021 would almost make us forget that it is November!

Eric Clement
Press

Françoise Sullivan started her new works a year ago. She had just joined her new bright workshop. A new studio at 98 years old. Why not ? Change doesn’t hurt in the midst of a pandemic. In any case, COVID-19 and its painful consequences have not slowed the momentum of the Montreal painter who presents at her gallery owner twenty fascinating canvases of dynamism, vigor, punch. Françoise Sullivan is still and always an inspired, dedicated, passionate, energetic artist.

Some of his acrylic canvases are a continuation of his career. Like his mauve canvas Tonight the stars are square, or The big Blue, which recalls the invigorating shades of its series Ocean from 2005. But you can also admire a series of totally distinct works that she has titled Elsewhere. Less abstract paintings, with a sort of plant abundance.

Françoise Sullivan also exhibits a superb triptych with a beautiful effect. With unusual geometric elements in the middle. “Shredded Wheats! laughs the artist. I made these three paintings one after the other. At a certain point, I put them side by side and I thought it was fine as well. ”

His latest painting, in shades of turquoise blue and orange, is titled Mask. No relation to the pandemic face coverings. “It’s Simon [Blais] who chose the title, she said. Because, in the center, it looks like an African mask. ” Traces, another canvas with sultry shades of red, is magnificent in movement, depth and light. “It’s my favorite,” says Simon Blais. You shouldn’t doubt, Françoise! “It’s true that I had put it aside,” she replies.

Françoise Sullivan continues on her way. She was recently in New York for the collective expo Surrealism Beyond Borders, presented at the MET until January 30. She exhibits photographs from her series Dance in the snow. “I liked it a lot,” she says. And then, going for a walk on a Monday, almost alone in the large rooms of the MET, it was extraordinary! I will be doing an interview this week with art historian Abigail Susik, one of the people who put together the exhibition. This is for a publication. ”

The MET exhibition will then go to Tate Modern, London, in February. Françoise Sullivan might go for a walk there with her son Geoffrey. To experience the British reception of this series of improvised dances that she began in 1947, just on her return from New York. “A very popular series,” says Simon Blais. But there are no more! Françoise has a few copies, and that’s it. ”

Louis-Philippe Côté

In the adjoining room, Louis-Philippe Côté surprises with the paintings from his corpus Inner times. A two-part project. Two small, controlled turns continuing his intimate journey that began in 2005, when he turned his back on his fiery narratives. A perseverance in a more personal direction which testifies to the maturity of the 42-year-old artist, today at the height of his art. From a technical point of view as well as from a narrative point of view.

We are far from his older research projects, from Fukushima and Freud, from the voyeurism and vices of thought of the series Data, or the violence of Schizo-System. His new paths borrow the idea of ​​translating reflections steeped in Japanese literature and zenitude.

First, three large canvases seem to stem from his series Water and dreams, from 2017-2019. Half-figurative, half-abstract oils on linen evoking Matisse and his interior staging. “Works that took a long time to emerge,” he says. I also started with Eric Rohmer’s film The collector. From a dialogue that made me think of a search for calm. And I was watching a lot of Matisse at that time, especially his first half. This idea of ​​stopping painting at the right time. ”

Louis-Philippe Côté takes his time, lets scenes and leaves emerge, overlays interior and exterior. With more skill – he has been painting for 25 years – these canvases have more body and contrasts.

The artist exhibits five abstract paintings, even more interior. Flowing from memories of his teenage years. A series that evokes the vaporous suspension of its series Flux-Schizo. But Louis-Philippe Côté took this lightness further to evoke the carefree youth, its frivolities and its freedom. “I painted them with these memories in mind, the lightness I see in my 15-year-old son, and then my readings. It gave something spontaneous, but it was a fight because it was not easy. Something interesting had to emerge. ”

The five canvases are a succession of interventions, alterations, repentances, juxtapositions, the artist readjusting the shot to respect the signature taken by the first of the series which is entitled Vermont. Living, joyful works. A beautiful series which translates, at Louis-Philippe Côté, a fruitful quest for tranquility.

Françoise Sullivan and Louis-Philippe Côté at the Simon Blais gallery, at 5422, boulevard Saint-Laurent, until December 24.

Visit the Simon Blais gallery website