February 2 to April 14, 2010

Born in 1930 in Amqui in the Gaspé region, Aristide Gagnon attended the École des beaux-arts de Québec from 1952 to 1956. During that time, he learned a multitude of artistic disciplines including painting, sculpture, enamelling and working with glass. Initiated into the art of stained glass by Olivier Ferland, a master of the craft, Gagnon started to create beautiful stained glass windows, including some that grace the Saint Joseph Oratory in Montreal. In 1963, the artist moved to France and from 1966 onwards, he worked in encaustics, an ancient art form that uses paints mixed with beeswax. This time-tested technique creates fresh, vibrant colors that embue tableaux with a rich, pure glow. In 1972, Gagnon acquired a space previously occupied (between 1889 and 1965) by the famous James Hezel Smelter in Quebec City. Since then, he has worked there, casting bronze and manufacturing his own mixtures and alloys. In 2008, Gagnon was appointed artist-in-residence at the Musée du Bronze in Inverness, an establishment that he helped found.

A painter who follows his instincts
On the verge of his eighth decade, Gagnon is guided by the messages dictated by his creative muse.
To the artist, each of his projects is an adventure which leads him deeply inside himself. What is important to this intensely creative man is «… to become emotionally involved in the work that we create, to make new discoveries and to launch them into the world… » His paintings evolve in a dynamic, spontaneous fashion but a common thread runs throughout all his projects. The magnificent bronze globes for which he has been famous for the past 40 years, exude energy and movement. His unique creations resonate with the spirituality of man and the deep mystery of art. Several of his works are included among a number of private and public collections across Quebec, Canada, the United States and in Europe.

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