On the eve of Jean-Paul Riopelle’s 100th birthday, the Montmagny library is organizing a series of activities to honor his memory and immerse yourself in the world of the famous painter who died in 2002.
At the center of this commemoration, an exhibition featuring works from the collection of his spouse Huguette Vachon will be presented from June 16 to September 10.
Died on March 12, 2002, at the age of 78, the painter, engraver and sculptor spent the last ten years of his life at his house in L’Isle-aux-Grues and in his studio on Île aux Oies. in the MRC of Montmagny.
It was in these places, in 1992, that he created Tribute to Rosa Luxemburgconsidered his flagship work and which can be seen at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.
Spouse of Jean-Paul Riopelle during the last 16 years of her life, Huguette Vachon admits to being very excited at the thought of the many festivities and commemorations that will take place in Quebec, across Canada and even in Europe in 2023.
“I’m quite proud that he’s finally being celebrated as the ‘great leader’ of arts and painting,” she said in a telephone interview.
Most of the paintings that will be exhibited were made in L’Isle-aux-Grues and Île aux Oies and inspired by these two places. Works belonging to private collectors could be added to those – between 25 and 30 – owned by Huguette Vachon.
“The Jean-Paul Riopelle that I knew is that of L’Isle-aux-Grues and Île aux Oies where he lived. Jean-Paul really liked the light that was present on the side of the river. It is rooted in the Montmagny region,” she noted.
A monument
Activities surrounding the 100e Riopelle’s anniversary will be launched on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. during the Journées de la culture. Accompanied by visual arts specialists, people will be able to take part, at the Montmagny municipal library, in a Riopelle-style creative workshop.
The library will launch, on October 7, the day of Riopelle’s birth, a school program which aims to make him known and to teach the local culture based on the heritage of Montmagny.
On March 12, the date of the artist’s death, a monument to his memory will be inaugurated. It could be erected on the site where the 1991 exhibition took place Riopelle Bourgault.
In May, a commented cruise will cross the scenery of the Isle-aux-Grues archipelago that inspired Riopelle. Later, in 2023, a conservation center will be inaugurated, attached to the library, where we will find works and objects that belonged to the artist.
Full details are online at ville.montmagny.qc.ca/riopelle