September 29 to December 16, 2012

Un Côté hétéroclite de Jean Coté comprises 50 works by the self-taught painter and sculptor Jean Côté, who happens to be celebrating his 40^th anniversary as a professional artist, at the same time as the Yvonne L. Bombardier Cultural Centre is also celebrating its 40 years of existence. A meshing of colors, the incorporation of diverse materials and strongly defined brush strokes, chararacterize this Townships artist’s style.

From Tohu to the Royal Canadian Mint
Jean Côté integrates these assorted objects, detached from their original functions, often abandoned or destined for the garbage and gives them a second life. In 2004, he was part of TOHU’s opening exhibition at the Cirque du Soleil’s Cité des Arts in Montreal, for which he used a lot of aluminum. More recently, he created a series of canvases incorporating shredded bank notes from the Royal Canadian Mint.


More than 125 group and solo exhibitions
Since 1979, his exhibitions in Canada, Europe and Asia have given him a profile on the international art scene. He was the first Canadian to be accepted as a member of the Fine Arts Association of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). For 15 years, this creative artist has had a studio in Granby, Quebec, in a setting that combines art with industry. Jean Côté subscribes to the same school of thought as Jean-Paul Riopelle, a painter he admired and befriended. While he is influenced by artists such as Zao Wou-Ki, Wassily, Kandinsky and Picasso, he is still very faithful to his own style. His works exude poetry, sensuality and a sense of renewal.

Journeys and encounters mark his work
Côté is inspired by the passage of time and encounters along the way – themes that are evident in his work. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy things that, until now, have never been shown in public, such as his flight logs and travel journals. The pages of the books are bound concertina style and are filled with little color images painted during his journeys.

» Download the biography.

» Download the list of artworks.