"Selected Works from the 1920s, 30s and 40s"
For the past five years, Galerie Valentin has opened the Fall season with a retrospective: a flagship exhibition honouring a renowned historical Quebec artist.
Andre Bieler's undeniable contribution to Quebec and Canadian art history places him within this prestigious group.
Therefore in keeping with this tradition, Jean©\Pierre Valentin has acquired on loan from private Canadian collectors works, both on canvas and paper, of this Swiss born Montreal artist. More than thirty works of art spanning three decades are put on display within the context of this retrospective exhibition, which pays tribute to an artist whose works have yet to be widely showcased.
About the artist:
Born in 1896 in Lausanne, Switzerland, Andre Bieler immigrated to Montreal at the age of 12. After spending two years studying Architecture, he served as a Canadian infantryman in the First World War. While recovering from his injuries, he began to study art. He studied with the Art Students League in Woodstock, New York before joining his uncle, Ernest Bieler, a famous Swiss muralist painter with whom he travelled through Switzerland and France, sketching and painting.
He lived in the Province of Quebec from 1927 to 1936 painting Quebec rural life. He went to Queen's, Ontario in 1936 as a University's artist-in-residence teaching fine arts. In 1941, he was chosen to represent Canada at the official opening of the National Gallery in Washington. The same year, he was elected President of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Between 1942 and 1944, he travelled throughout Canada participating in numerous exhibitions.
Bieler was a member of the Canadian Group of Painters and Royal Canadian Academy and, from 1957 to 1963, he acted as founding director of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in Kingston, Ontario. Retiring from teaching in 1963, he briefly stayed twice in Mexico where he exhibited in San Miguel in 1964. He stayed in Kingston after his retirement, and continued his prolific career as a painter, printmaker and sculptor. Bi¨¦ler was the recipient of the Canadian Centennial Medal in 1967 and in 1970, a retrospective exhibition travelling through nine cities in Eastern Canada was held, showing 50 years of Bieler's artistic creation.
He was awarded the Order of Canada a few months before he died in Kingston in 1989 at the age of 93.
Electronic Catalogue available online: http: //www.valentingallery.com
For more information: Galerie Valentin, (514) 939-0500
info@galerievalentin.com
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
Thursday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday from10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Free admission