Quebec and Canadian Art
View of one of the Quebec and Canadian art galleries in the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. Photo © Marc Cramer
Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion
The MMFA’s Quebec and Canadian art collection is exhibited in a unique display spanning six floors that celebrates the history of a rich heritage. Discover nearly 500 works, from the colonial era to the 1960s and 1970s, a prolific period for Quebec and Canadian painting.
View of one of the Quebec and Canadian art galleries in the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. Photo Thibault Carron
View of one of the Quebec and Canadian art galleries in the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. Photo MMFA, Denis Farley
Partial view of the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. © Estate of Guido Molnari (Copyright Visual Arts-CARCC, 2023). Photo MMFA, Annie Fafard
View of one of the Quebec and Canadian art galleries in the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. © Estate of Alfred Pellan; Estate of Charles Daudelin; Estate of Guido Molinari / CARCC Ottawa 2024. Photo MMFA, Denis Farley
View of one of the Quebec and Canadian art galleries in the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion. Photo Thibault Carron
Musical experience: Flore Laurentienne draws inspiration from Riopelle
Level S1
In November 2023, the MMFA welcomed Mathieu David Gagnon, the artist behind the musical project Flore Laurentienne, to perform a residency. The composer set up his studio in the gallery dedicated to Jean Paul Riopelle to draw inspiration from Riopelle’s works. On your next visit to the Museum, have your smartphone and earphones at the ready, so you can explore this space to the sounds of Flore Laurentienne’s creations. Rooted in classical composition, his music stands out for its use of modern instrumentation and blend of pop and progressive rock. You can enjoy the musical experience by scanning the QR code beside the artworks.
Mathieu David Gagnon (Flore Laurentienne) standing beside the work Crosswind (1952), by Jean Paul Riopelle, in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Private collection and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Nina and Harry Hart. © Estate of Jean Paul Riopelle / CARCC Ottawa 2024. Photo Sarah Seené
Thematic Presentation: The Contemporary Art Society of Montreal
Level 1
The Contemporary Arts Society of Montreal (1939-1948) stood apart among all other arts organizations in Canada in its defense of the right to free artistic expression. Founded by painter and critic John Lyman, it was dedicated to promoting Modern art and bridging the divide between Montreal’s English and French communities.
In this display, several recent acquisitions and other rarely shown works – some of which have been restored or reframed – underscore the organization’s remarkable role in championing Modernism.
Louis Muhlstock (1904-2001), Leduc Lane, Montreal, about 1940, oil on canvas, 77 x 66.2 cm. MMFA, gift of Freda and Irwin Browns. Photo MMFA
