Artists from coast to coast meet in Ottawa for National Summit on artistic projects inspired by Jean Paul Riopelle’s enduring creative spirit 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, March 22, 2024 – The Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, in collaboration with Culture pour tous and the National Gallery of Canada, is thrilled to invite artists and cultural leaders from across the country to a National Summit commemorating the success and impact of the Riopelle Dialogues Project.

This landmark event brings together artists and cultural leaders from across Canada to celebrate the creation of nine distinct artistic projects inspired by the work of Jean Paul Riopelle as part of the centenary celebrations honouring the artist, and supported through a $1.3 M grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage.

The Riopelle Dialogues National Summit takes place on March 22-23, 2024 at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, during the final month of the Riopelle: Crossroads in Time exhibition. The exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada closes on April 7, 2024. The summit showcases the multidisciplinary artistic creations that have unfolded across Canada and in Europe, as part of the landmark celebrations to mark the birth of one of Canada’s most important contemporary artists, Jean Paul Riopelle.

Highlights of the National Summit:

* Keynote presentation from Sylvie Lacerte, Curator of Riopelle: Crossroads in Time exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada, Samuel Tétreault, Creator of Riopelle Grandeur Nature a new creation by Montréal’s renowned 7 Fingers circus troupe, and Blair Thomson co-creator of Riopelle Symphonique, a new symphonic work with multimedia projections of Riopelle’s works premiered by the Montréal Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and now touring the country with a presentation by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on April 20, 2024 at the Orpheum Theatre.

* Project Showcases: Each of the nine Riopelle Dialogues art projects will be presented in detail, with artists sharing insights into their creative process, the challenges faced, and the transformative impact on their respective communities. Biographies of the artists and project details are available here.

* Panel Discussions: Renowned cultural figures, policymakers, and academics including Manon Gauthier, General Commissioner of the Centenary Celebrations Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, Michel Vallée, President of Culture pour Tous, Jonathan Shaughnessy, Director of Curatorial Initiatives at the National Gallery of Canada, and Isabelle Mondou, Deputy Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage will participate in the summit.

* Meet the Artists and Meet the Curator: Curator Sylvie Lacerte will take participants through the monumental retrospective exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC), and participants will meet artist Thomas Corriveau whose work was inspired by Riopelle and is part of the NGC exhibition.

* Networking Opportunities: The Summit will provide a unique platform for attendees to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas, fostering a network of like-minded individuals committed to the advancement of arts and culture in Canada.

Quotes:

“The Riopelle Dialogues National Summit represents the culmination of the transformative power of art and culture. These projects have not only celebrated the legacy of Jean Paul Riopelle but have also ignited conversations and connections across our vast and diverse nation. This Summit is an opportunity to reflect on how important it is to celebrate our cultural heroes, and to learn about their impact on this country and the world,” said Manon Gauthier, General Commissioner of the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation.

“The Riopelle Dialogues Summit that takes place on March 22 and 23, at the National Gallery of Canada will bring together artists and cultural workers from across the country, who in 2023 created and presented the largest cultural mediation project ever in Canada. In fact, the 11 artist collectives worked in provinces and territories across the country to create nine work of art that were filled with humanity and commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean Paul Riopelle, one of the most illustrious artists from Canada,” said Michel Vallée, President and CEO of Culture pour tous.

“Mounting Riopelle: Crossroads in Time, as part of the national celebrations of Jean Paul Riopelle has brought a new generation to his extraordinary work,” said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. “He was truly among Canada’s most celebrated contemporary artists of the post-WW2 generation, and we are honoured to see his legacy celebrated in such a profound way.”

“Riopelle 100 represents an unprecedented celebration of a visual artist in the history of the country, and it has been an honour to see his legacy inspire contemporary artists in music, dance, theatre, circus and of course the visual arts. The Summit is a chance to learn from the artists who brought Riopelle’s work to life for a modern audience. We look forward to learning from them,” said Isabelle Mondou, Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage.

About the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation:

The Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, established in 2019, aims to celebrate and broaden the appreciation of Riopelle and his oeuvre in the history of Canadian and international art. The foundation supports emerging visual artists, encourages creative exploration, and serves as a center of scholarship on the works of Riopelle.

Media Contact:

Rosemary Thompson
Artful Strategies
Phone: 613-240-6739
Email: rosemary@artfulstrategies.ca

For more information about the Riopelle Dialogues National Summit and other centenary celebrations, visit www.fondationriopelle.com/centenary.

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