Riopelle: Crossroads in Time Exhibition

Exploring the life & work of Jean Paul Riopelle

Viewing the art of this 20th trailblazer through a 21st century lens

From Friday, May 31 to Sunday, September 8, 2024, the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq presents Riopelle: Crossroads in Time, a special retrospective exhibition celebrating the centennial of the birth of Jean Paul Riopelle. Organized by the National Gallery of Canada and curated by Guest Curator Dr. Sylvie Lacerte, this exhibition includes artworks from collections across Canada, including WAG-Qaumajuq’s permanent collection. Offering a unique take on this renowned Canadian artist, this exhibit challenges some of the pervasive assumptions about Riopelle’s life and work.

The full force of Riopelle’s influence will be on display 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. You can find tips for visiting WAG-Qaumajuq here.

Black and white 1950s photo of a young man with dark hair, gazing off to his right, a large abstract painting behind him.

(Photo credits: Jean Paul Riopelle at his Atelier Durantin in Paris, 1952. Photo by John Craven.)

About Jean Paul Riopelle

Jean Paul Riopelle (1923–2002) is one of Canada’s most significant 20th century artists. Attracted to painting from a young age, he enrolled in the art program at Montreal’s École du meuble, where he studied with the painter Paul-Émile Borduas, a life-changing encounter. He went on to join the Automatistes, an influential group of Québécois artists, and was one of the signatories of their landmark 1948 manifesto, Refus global. He later settled in Paris, where he became the most famous Canadian painter in Europe and the rest of the world. Leaving a large and diverse body of work, Riopelle is stylistically linked to many of the most important art movements of his time, notably abstract expressionism.

Photo of an abstract expressionist painting, with layered multi-coloured palette knife, brush stroke and drizzle applications of paint, giving the sense of electric movement.

(Photo credits: Winnipeg Art Gallery—Qaumajuq. Jean Paul Riopelle’s painting Vallée.)

Event details

Hosted by: Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq

Type of event: art exhibition

Featured artist: Jean Paul Riopelle

Curated by: Dr. Sylvie Lacerte

Dates: Friday, May 31 – Sunday, September 8, 2024

Times: Please note: The art gallery is closed on Mondays.

Tuesday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT
Friday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM CT
Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT

Cost:

Adults: C$18.00
Adults 65+: C$15.00
Members, Youth under 18 (except for school group visits) & Indigenous Peoples: Free
Canada Life Free Sundays (second Sunday of every month): Free

Location: Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, 300 Memorial Blvd., Winnipeg, MB, R3C 1V1

Group booking link: Book your group (15 or more) here. Advance group bookings save 20% on admission.

Contact Details: Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, 300 Memorial Blvd., Winnipeg, MB, R3C 1V1, Canada; 204-786-6641, inquiries@wag.ca, wag.ca

Accessibility: Info here.

COVID-19 policy: Masks are not mandatory, but are recommended. See WAG-Qaumajuq’s health and safety measures here.

Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.