Françoise Sullivan: ‘I let rhythms flow’

As the Québécoise artist turns 100, this exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts celebrates her influence on Canadian modern art and dance (1 November–18 February 2024). Sullivan, a founding member of the experimental group Les Automatistes, has long explored rhythm and colour through a range of media – as in the vast painted diptych Hommage à Paterson (2003), which sits at the heart of the show. The evolution of Sullivan’s style is shown through works ranging from 1960s sculptures, such as House for Triangles (1960), through to recent paintings. These include the vibrant Your Lightning Dazzles Me (2023), which demonstrates the artist’s ongoing experimentation with colour.  Find out more on the Montreal Museum’s website.

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Your Lightning Dazzles Me (2023), Françoise Sullivan. Photo: Guy L’Heureux; courtesy Simon Blais, Montreal; © Françoise Sullivan/CARCC 2023

Annuciator of the Moons (2022), Françoise Sullivan. Photo: Guy L’Heureux; courtesy Galerie Simon Blais, Montreal; © Françoise Sullivan/CARCC 2023

Reds (2009–10), Françoise Sullivan. Montreal Museum of Fine Art. Photo: MBAM, Christine Guest; © Françoise Sullivan/CARCC 2023.