Colorful abstraction

Marcel Barbeau was an internationally renowned Quebec painter and sculptor, and a leading figure of modern art in Canada. A student of Paul-Émile Borduas in the early 1940s, he became one of the youngest members of the Automatistes movement and a signatory of the historic 1948 manifesto, Refus global (Total Refusal).

Throughout his life, Barbeau was a tireless explorer. His body of work is characterized by a constant quest for reinvention, evolving from spontaneous Abstract Expressionism to Op Art, and later to geometric structures and monumental sculptures. Driven by a fascination with movement and rhythm, he frequently collaborated with other disciplines, such as dance and music, to translate the energy of performance onto the canvas.

His works are held in the world’s most prestigious collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, and the British Museum in London. He received numerous honors, including the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.