“Assemblage”

An iconoclastic and multidisciplinary painter, Serge Lemoyne was a major force in the Quebec art scene from the 1960s to the 1990s. A leading figure in Quebec Pop Art, he broke down the barriers between “high” art and popular culture, transforming artistic creation into an act of collective participation and performance.

His philosophy is rooted in the demystification of the artist. For Lemoyne, art should not be confined to a museum, but should exist in the tumult of life. His aesthetic is one of shock: he uses humor, sports, and media appropriation to engage the public. His approach is inseparable from the concept of the happening, where the creative process matters as much, if not more, than the final work.

The Blue-White-Red Period is his most famous cycle, dedicated to the Montreal Canadiens. By using the hockey team’s colors, he transforms a sports symbol into an exploration of national identity and dynamic abstraction.

As a co-founder of collectives such as L’Horloge and Victoire, he integrated video, performance, and graffiti long before their institutionalization. He did not hesitate to paint on found objects or to transform his own home in Acton Vale into a total work of art, sculpted by additions and demolitions.