Pierre Dorion

Pierre Dorion is a painter who has always been interested in the history of painting. For nearly thirty years, the Montréal-based artist has scrutinized the tools, techniques, materials, theories, genres and iconography of painting with the goal of discovering the universal experience hidden within the rich material history. Dorion drew attention early in his career with his pictorial installations that critically recast the styles and subject matter of classical painting. Since then, his work has consistently explored the connections between painting, architecture, photography and art history. He next devoted himself to a series of life-size self-portraits, before moving toward a figurative minimalism where the reading of the work is complicated by the level of abstraction. This monographic exhibition catalogue features over seventy major works produced since the mid-1990s, including a series of recent paintings never before exhibited. Profusely illustrated and comprising three original essays, the publication establishes Pierre Dorion’s life’s work as a singular approach to art and a vibrant homage to painting. In English and French.

David Deitcher has written for Artforum, Art in America, Parkett and The Village Voice, and has authored numerous artists’ monographs. Stephen Horne’s writing has been published in Third Text, Parachute, Artpress, Flash Art and Canadian Art. Mark Lanctôt has curated several exhibitions at the Musée, notably on the work of Claude Tousignant.