For the fourth consecutive year, Galerie Simon Blais is pleased to present, as a parallel to the Papier 17 contemporary art fair taking place from April 21 to 23, 2017, a selection of works on paper.

Galerie Simon Blais opened its doors at a particularly inopportune time—that of the 1990 global economic downturn. Collectors then greatly appreciated works on paper, as they were often less expensive than canvases. The fledgling gallery took advantage of its expertise and made prints its specialty. Fascinated by the artisanal side of printmaking, Simon Blais is captivated by the very medium of paper, and it has played a key and integral role in the history of the gallery. An avid collector of works on paper himself, in 1992 Simon Blais had the privilege of publishing his first series of prints, Phonème I and Phonème II, by Francine Simonin. The gallery has since published a large number of such works by various artists.

To celebrate its 25 years in the field, 25 prints, all published by the gallery between 1992 and 2017, will be shown in Gallery 1. Works by Stéphanie Béliveau, Carol Bernier, Catherine Farish, Peter Krausz, François-Xavier Marange, Louise Robert, Marc Séguin, Francine Simonin, François Vincent, Irene F. Whittome and Max Wyse will be included in the exhibition.