UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF RIOPELLE
A multidisciplinary artist working in the art world for over 25 years, Jean Gaudreau is now a key figure in the Quebec art market and enjoys a high profile among all contemporary art enthusiasts.
Jean Gaudreau is one of Quebec City's most committed artists: a fervent advocate for the city's heritage. This affection for Quebec City shines through in his works, which combine sculpture and painting. His attachment to the city is also reflected in his close collaboration with Cirque du Soleil and a partnership with none other than Robert Lepage for the visual identity of the Moulin à Images in 2009 and 2010. Jean Gaudreau also lends his expertise to various organizations such as the Quebec Mental Illness Foundation, the Quebec Youth Foundation, and the The Alzheimer Society, and the organization GRIS Québec (an organization whose goal is to abolish prejudices against LGBTQ+ people) by offering his works to multiple fundraisers or auctions.
His artistic approach is characterized by its impulsiveness, spontaneity, and undeniable artistic instinct. He fits remarkably well within the contemporary artistic trend while maintaining his unique and assertive style. His work is deeply inspired by the circus world and the universe of dance. Enriched by collaborations with these two worlds, a dynamic and fluid movement is palpable in his works. These two distinct worlds represent the artist's ideal of bohemian freedom.
Jean Gaudreau doesn't paint the world; he paints his own universe with various organic materials such as aged wood or oxidized copper, using a dynamic and spontaneous gestural style. For Jean Gaudreau, art is a visceral activity. Painting represents more than a passion: it is an insatiable need. It is not only a way of life, but also a reason for being.
Title: UNDER RIOPELLE'S EYE
Series: Homage to Riopelle and his white geese
Technique: Digital print on Arches paper enhanced by the artist's hands in pencil and oil pastel.
Dimensions: 30 x 30 inches
Year: 2023
White frame included, 40 x 40 inches
The starting point for this work is a portrait of Jean-Paul Riopelle, photographed at the end of his life. One might think that the portrait is the focal point, but while it is certainly so narratively, it is not pictorially. That role belongs instead to the large white goose that dominates the space and encompasses virtually the entire surface, framing Riopelle's face. Its highly textured whiteness focuses the different parts of the work and becomes the center where everything converges. This work is also a celebration of Riopelle's palette, which often included, during this period, particularly powerful harmonies of magenta-red and vibrant blues. This can be explained by the use of spray paint. Gaudreau also uses this medium, but in his own way, without the stencils that Riopelle favored in his later period.