From April 20 to June 22, 2024, Galerie Simon Blais presents a major exhibition paying tribute to the artist Marcelle Ferron (1924-2001) on the occasion of the centenary of her birth. An exceptional collection of nearly one hundred works will grace the gallery walls, offering a wide-ranging look at her multifaceted work.
Marcelle Ferron: The Centenary — Painting, works on paper and fused glass
Among the works on show will be some fifty works on paper, all previously unpublished, and a selection of nearly thirty paintings on canvas illustrating the different phases of her work, produced between 1947 and 1999. The apotheosis of this exhibition will undoubtedly be the presentation of a collection of more than thirty works in fused glass, the result of experiments carried out between 1968 and 1980. These are known today as her “glass pastilles”, which were produced by reappropriating the antique-style glass left-overs after the creation of her huge public stained glass windows, and melting them in a ceramic kiln. All the works on display come from the artist's estate. A catalogue of her fused glass works is being published to coincide with the exhibition.
Marcelle Ferron spent part of her career in France, where she developed her art before returning to Quebec in 1966. Her return coincided with the Quiet Revolution, a period of great social and cultural upheaval in the province. Her work, fuelled by her commitment and passion, has captivated Quebecers, who have discovered in her a versatile and committed artist.
Other exhibitions have been presented over the last twenty years, but her centenary year provides an opportunity to take a broader look at huge swathes of her multi-faceted output, particularly that of fused glass. These works have rarely been shown to the public in Quebec, except in the late 1960s and early 1970s - and never since!
Ferron has said of her painting: "I have always kept my style, but artistic research is at the centre of my pictorial preoccupations. Light is very important... This preoccupation with light comes from stained glass windows, from which I learnt a lot. The colours of the stained glass windows made a huge impression on me. They have been a determining factor in the development of my painting.”
By honouring Marcelle Ferron on the occasion of her centenary, Galerie Simon Blais wishes to pay tribute to the creative genius of this exceptional, multi-talented woman who, until her death in 2001, was one of the favourite artists of Quebec art lovers!
To find out more about Marcelle Ferron, click on the following links:
Friends of Place Marcelle Ferron - https://marcelleferron.org/notes-biographiques.asp
Canadian Encyclopedia - https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/marcelle-ferron
