Riopelle: Crossroads in Time

As part of the centennial celebrations of Jean Paul Riopelle’s birth, the National Gallery of Canada will present a major exhibition of its own Riopelle works, together with loans from public and private collections.

This centenary retrospective examines the 20th-century artistic trailblazer through a 21st-century lens and introduces Riopelle as a tireless experimenter and innovator, anchored in the contemporary realm. Drawing on the artist’s oeuvre across various mediums, Guest Curator Sylvie Lacerte will present Riopelle anew as she challenges some of the pervasive assumptions about his life and work. Offering a unique take on this famed Canadian artist, the show includes his acclaimed works alongside creations rarely or never seen before.

Yousuf Karsh, Jean Paul Riopelle, 1965. Gelatin silver print, 50.2 x 60.6 cm. CMCP Collection, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 1980. © Estate of Yousuf Karsh. © Estate of Jean Paul Riopelle, (Copyright Visual Arts-CARCC, 2023). Photo: NGC

Visitors will discover the full force of Riopelle’s influence through the inclusion of selected works by artists – both his contemporaries and some working today – who represent a broad range of cultural and aesthetic perspectives. The exhibition will be accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue featuring essays by art specialists, writers and artists who reflect on Riopelle’s legacy as they look at his work.

Organized by the National Gallery of Canada