MARC-AURÈLE FORTIN: THE EXPERIENCE OF COLOUR OPENS AT THE McMICHAEL MAY 28th

MARC-AURÈLE FORTIN: THE EXPERIENCE OF COLOUR
May 28 to September 11, 2011
(press preview May 26)

Produced by the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
For Immediate Release

FIRST MAJOR MUSEUM EXHIBITION DEVOTED TO MARC-AURÈLE FORTIN SHOWCASES ARTIST’S JOURNEY TRANSCRIBING THE QUEBEC LANDSCAPE
INTO A NATIONAL ART

May 16, 2011 Kleinburg, ON—The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition, Marc-Aurèle Fortin: The Experience of Colour, a truly colourful retreat to the land of la belle province. Produced by the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the French-Canadian exhibition is on display at the McMichael from May 28 to September 11, 2011.

The bilingual exhibition is a tribute to the landscape artist Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888-1970), who painted for four decades in the rising tide of Quebec and Canadian modernity. The 107 works testify to his prolific output, from the early paintings done in Chicago, in 1909 and 1910, to the Gaspé and Saguenay region landscapes captured in the late 1940s, before health problems forced him to stop working. While remaining faithful to figurative art as a painter, watercolourist, printmaker, and pastelist, he endlessly experimented with colour, the true focus of his inquiry. Fortin saw his art as “silent poetry”—his determination to make bright colours sing made him one of the most progressive painters of his generation in the 1920s.

Marc-Aurèle Fortin: The Experience of Colour, the first major museum exhibition devoted to the artist in more than 45 years, features Fortin’s paintings, prints, drawings, and watercolours produced between 1909 and 1949. Fortin indelibly marked the Quebec imagination with the compositions of stately elms and colourful rural scenes for which he is best known. The exhibition presents views of Sainte-Rose, Île d’Orléans and the Charlevoix, Gaspé, and Saguenay regions, depictions of the Quebec countryside of his day. It also includes a lesser-known but equally important aspect of his work: cityscapes. These urban views prove him a keen observer of the irreversible changes that modernity was bringing to Montreal in the 1920s and 30s.

Fortin’s career took off with the success of his views of Montreal and its harbour, and his depictions of large trees. These works earned him recognition in the art world, and this exhibition honours their outstanding quality, all illustrating steps on a remarkable artistic journey marked by experimentation and freedom.

The 300-page companion catalogue to Marc-Aurèle Fortin: The Experience of Colour sheds new light on the man, the artist, and his involvement in Quebec’s art community. Available in French and English versions, the catalogue is a co-edition of the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and Éditions de l’Homme. The English version was specifically produced to accompany the McMichael’s exhibition and is available for purchase through the Gallery Shop. This major book reproduces more than 150 oils, watercolours, etchings, and pastels that proclaim the modernity of a virtuoso draftsman and colourist. Reflecting many years of research, the book probes the Fortin legend in different ways, placing the artist and his work in a broad historical context. Written by authorities in the art of this period—Richard Foisy, François-Marc Gagnon, Michèle Grandbois, Sarah Mainguy, and Esther Trépanier—it traces his biographical and aesthetic footsteps in detail and reveals the full import of his contribution to the history of Canadian art.

On Saturday, June 4, the McMichael will host an Art Encounter program titled, “The Paradox of Marc-Aurèle Fortin.” Dr. François-Marc Gagnon, professor emeritus at the Université de Montréal and director and chair of the Gail and Stephen A. Jarislowsky Institute for Studies in Canadian Art at Concordia University, will present this lecture focusing on an apparent discrepancy between the aesthetic traditionalism embraced by Fortin and his innovative treatment of forms. Dr. Gagnon will be introduced by Katerina Atanassova, the McMichael’s chief curator who will elaborate on the curatorial reasons for bringing this important exhibition to the McMichael. The lecture will take place from
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., followed by a book-signing event with Dr. François-Marc Gagnon, co-author of the companion catalogue.

ABOUT THE McMICHAEL

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,700 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations, and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students and $30 for families. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery, visit www.mcmichael.com.

For further information or to receive images, contact:

Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: 905.893.1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: 416.489.5868
Cell: 416.801.3101
sweir@mcmichael.com

Michelle Kortinen, Communications Coordinator
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
905.893.1121 ext. 2210
mkortinen@mcmichael.com

BLONDE BOMBSHELL AT THE McMICHAEL GALLERY - HALF HOUR SPECIAL NOW BEING AIRED!

POP CULTURE ICON MARILYN MONROE
TAKES CENTRE STAGE ON ROGERS TV

Friday, March 4, 2011 – [YORK REGION] – Take a step back in time and get up close and personal with pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe with Marilyn at the McMichael on Monday, February 28 at 7pm on Rogers TV, Cable 10/63.
Joins us as we take a look at the life of Marilyn Monroe, as told through a collection of 150 paintings, photographs and prints, from the unforgettable snapshots to rare photos of the famous movie star.
Host Jacqueline Betterton sits down with the curators of the Life as a Legend exhibit at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Chris Finn and Sharon Adamowicz-Clements, to talk about the life of Marilyn and examine how the art world has been inspired by the legendary iconic actress.
Visit www.rogerstv.com for repeat airtimes throughout the months of March and April.
Rogers TV is a unique TV channel where community members take an active role in conceptualizing and producing programming for local audiences. Our staff and volunteers produce informative and entertaining local programming, reinforcing Rogers’ commitment to the communities we serve. Rogers Communications is Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Rogers TV is only available to Rogers’ customers, including the company's 2.3 million cable customers in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. For more information on Rogers Communications Inc., visit www.rogers.com.
Rogers TV serves the Regional Municipality of York. Rogers Cable 10 serves Newmarket, Aurora, Georgina, East Gwillimbury and Bradford West Gwillimbury. Rogers Cable 63 serves Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, and King. For more information on Rogers TV, visit www.rogerstv.com.


Cutlines:
Top - Key wall at the enterance to the Marilyn in Canada exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Bottom - Rogers TV host Jacqueline Betterton


For more information please contact:

Lisa McClean Stellick Lori Marier
Station Manager Publicity & Promotions
Rogers TV, York Region Rogers TV, York Region
905-780-7016 905-780-7219
lisa.mccleanstellick@rci.rogers.com lori.marier@rci.rogers.com

The Eyes Have It For Norman Rockwell Show At The McMichael

In Search of Norman Rockwell's America
MARCH 12 to APRIL 25, 2011

For Immediate Release

First Exhibition to Compare Norman Rockwell's Art with
Photojournalist Kevin Rivoli's Images: 'Rockwell's America' Exists

February 28, 2011 Kleinburg, ON - In Search of Norman Rockwell's America, a poignant exhibition that pairs the work of American icon Norman Rockwell with images by award-winning photojournalist Kevin Rivoli, is on view at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection from March 12 through April 25, 2011.

Norman Rockwell's illustrations populated covers of The Saturday Evening Post, the American magazine well-read amongst Canadians, especially after World War I when imported American magazines were outselling domestic magazines eight-to-one in subscriptions and newsstands across Canada.

Unprecedented in concept, this exhibition features a selection of thirty-five black and white photographs alongside original Rockwell paintings, drawings, and lithographs of similar imagery, forming a captivating comparison exhibition of seventy works. Included in the exhibition is the never-before-published painting The Golfer, a rare subject for Rockwell and one of his earlier works.

Kevin Rivoli began taking "slices of life" photographs twenty years ago while working as a photojournalist - images of family, community, patriotism, milestones, and people enjoying simple pleasures. It was not until many years later that he realized their similarity to Rockwell's work, not only in mood and subject, but often in composition as well.

Rockwell, who was and remains immensely popular in both Canada and the United States, was often dismissed by critics who claimed his work was too idealistic, sentimental, and nostalgic. One critic alleged that Rockwell created "an America that never was and never will be." Rockwell disagreed, saying he showed "the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed."

Rivoli's photographs disprove critics' claims that Rockwell created imaginary scenes. In Search of Norman Rockwell's America shows us the same world Rockwell painted, an America that is still alive and well. Rivoli's photographs are of spontaneously occurring moments of everyday life - most subjects were completely unaware that they were being photographed. These photos are true to Rockwell's form - storytelling in a single, spontaneous frame that captures a complete picture and celebrates the ordinary.In Search of Norman Rockwell's America introduces Norman Rockwell and his work to a new generation, while providing his existing fans an opportunity to reconnect with this American icon. By pairing these celebrated, familiar works of art to photographs of real people, the exhibition reminds us to look for those moments of happiness, pride, mischief, courage, and patriotism that Rockwell captured and became known as "Rockwell's America."

The two-year tour is comprised of many loans from major institutions and private collections. Norman Rockwell paintings, prints, and drawings are on loan from Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY; Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, IN; National Scouting Museum, Irving, TX; United States Golf Association Museum, Far Hills, NJ; and Ingrid Bond Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM.

The companion book for the international tour, published by Simon & Schuster and also titled In Search of Rockwell's America, includes inspiring quotes and anecdotes of Rockwell's' paintings and Rivoli's photographs.

In Search of Norman Rockwell's America is organized by Kevin and Michele Rivoli in collaboration with International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. International Arts & Artists in Washington, DC, is a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs, and services to artists, arts institutions, and the public. Visit www.artsandartists.org.

Kevin Rivoli is an award-winning photojournalist who has photographed everyone from professional sports stars to presidents. But his favourite subjects have always been ordinary people doing ordinary things. When he's not working for one of several national media outlets, he continues to pursue and develop personal endeavours that include several soon-to-be published works as well as a line of licensed products that feature his images. To learn more about Kevin and his work, visit www.kevinrivoli.com.

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students and $30 for families. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery, visit www.mcmichael.com.

Cutlines
Top: McMichael Gallery's Education Curator Anna Stanisz
Middle: A Kiss for Mom, 2007 Photo © Kevin Rivoli
Bottom: Home from Camp,1968 Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL