About Me
My biography, statement and artistic curriculum: a comprehensive list of previous exhibitions and events, including publications, press articles and other media.
About Me...
Biography
Louis-Bernard St-Jean was born in 1979, Montreal QC, in a family of art collectors and painters dating back several generations. Raised among the works of contemporary masters, Louis-Bernard fits with relevance in the continuation of Quebec’s postmodern heritage.
His career as a painter began in 2014, when after a remarkable ascension, he devoted himself entirely to his professional practice in early 2015.
His works are presented in many private and public collections around the world (Canada, US, France and Germany.)
Distinctions
Louis-Bernard St-Jean received the People's Choice for the piece Rhapsody in Blue at the annual "Brush Off!" 2015 Juried Painting Competition; in 2016, his artwork Taïga was selected for the regional finals of the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series.
In March 2018, Devenir Immortel—St-Jean's first artwork on paper unveiled publicly ahead of Papier 18 Art Fair—had the hammer price soaring high to nearly three times its appraisal value during ArtSida8’s Main Auction.
Artist Statement
These sculptural oil paintings reminiscent of the splendours of nature are made by incorporating organic patterns through heavy texture to create bold impressionistic compositions that possess a distinctive depth, structure and movement.
Painting Technique
Using a unique sculptural technique, I shape the texture by carving and tearing thick layers of pure oil paint with a palette knife in a controlled gesture to gradually build the relief up to an inch high, giving it a peculiar tactile quality.
This allows me to combine different perspectives of a same theme into one merged composition that will change its aspect with the light’s intensity and the observer’s viewing angles, while the linear texture generates a lenticular screen effect that increases the piece’s brightness and glow. This accentuated sensorial and perceptual experience creates a mesmerizing effect that appeals to all senses, pulling the viewer further into the artwork.
Artistic Curriculum Vitæ
Education
Academic Formation | |||
Since 2010– | Self-taught |
Artist Studio
Artist Studio
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2023– | Espace St-Jean | 372 Sainte-Catherine Ouest, suite 521 (Belgo building) | Montréal QC |
2018–2023 | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | 372 Sainte-Catherine Ouest, suite 230 (Belgo building) | Montréal QC |
Art Galleries
Art Galleries
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— Looking for new representations, both local and abroad — | |||
Collaborations
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2018– | Cutler Crane Gallery | 254 Court Ave | Memphis TN |
2015– | Galerie Avenue Art | CP 23009 Vendome | Westmount QC |
Previous representations
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2016–2020 | Petroff Gallery | 1016 Eglinton Ave West | Toronto ON |
2016–2018 | Galerie Youn | 5226 Saint-Laurent Blvd | Montreal QC |
Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
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2022 | Lieux sauvages | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC |
2021 | Monochrome | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC |
2020 | Works on Paper | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC |
2017 | Musical Abstractions | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC |
Artist Feature | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON | |
2016 | Live at Petroff | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON |
Linéaires | George Laoun St-Denis | Montreal QC | |
2014 | Mouvements | CJE Montréal Centre-Ville | Montreal QC |
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
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2024 | Flight 521 → Destination Belgo | Espace St-Jean | Montreal QC |
2023 | Morphologie des plantes | Espace 230 | Montreal QC |
2022 | Brush Off Competition | Avenue Art | Niagara-on-the-Lake ON |
REMIXED // MEDIA | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC | |
2021 | Off Papier : en marge de la Foire | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC |
Art sur papier '21 | Galerie Erga | Montreal QC | |
«Salon des Indépendants III» | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC | |
2020 | Nuit Blanche au Belgo | Espace 230 / Art contemporain | Montreal QC |
ArtsidaX | Les Grands Ballets | Montreal QC | |
Small Works Exhibition | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON | |
2019 | DécouvART | Galerie Gora | Montreal QC |
La rentrée au Belgo | Espace 230 | Montreal QC | |
Works on Paper | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON | |
Abstract 2019 | Cutler Crane Gallery | Memphis TN | |
Ma première galerie d'art Québecor | Mtl en Arts | Montreal QC | |
Nuit Blanche au Belgo | Espace 230 | Montreal QC | |
ArtSida 9 | Galerie MX | Montreal QC | |
2018 | Glorious and Free | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON |
Artsida8 // Vernissage | Galerie MX | Montreal QC | |
The Love of Art | Avenue Art | Westmount QC | |
2017 | Miniature Exhibition | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON |
Flora | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
Westmount Square Pop-Up | Avenue Art | Westmount QC | |
Brush Off Competition | Avenue Art | Montreal QC | |
Exposition d'anniversaire 5/5/5 | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
Abstraction Sauvage | Le Livart | Montreal QC | |
Miniature Exhibition | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON | |
Noir et Blanc | Le Livart | Montreal QC | |
New Works | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
2016 | Pop-Up « Petit Format » | Le Livart | Montreal QC |
A Very "YOUNg" Christmas | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
Expo Popup Art Cible | Galerie Dentaire | Montreal QC | |
2015 | BAZAARTS | Galerie MainLine | Montreal QC |
Photos & œuvres urbaines | Galerie Z | Montreal QC | |
5th "Brush Off" Competition | Avenue Art | Montreal QC | |
'Spring Fling' Art in Bloom | Avenue Art | Montreal QC | |
2014 | 4th "Brush Off" Competition | Avenue Art | Montreal QC |
SPECTRUM by RAW Artists | Le Rialto Theatre | Montreal QC | |
Contemporary Art Fairs
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2016 | The Artist Project Art Fair | Better Living Centre | Toronto ON |
Booth 132 - (10’ x 15’) | |||
2015 | The Artist Project Art Fair | Better Living Centre | Toronto ON |
Booth 907 - (10’ x 10’) | |||
YES Art Expo 2015 | St-James Theatre | Montreal QC | |
Art fair by YES Montreal |
Subsidies
Subsidies
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2023 | Subsidies for artists in the visual arts | Ville de Montréal, and Le Conseil des arts de Montréal | Montreal QC |
2022 | Subsidies for artists in the visual arts | Ville de Montréal, and Le Conseil des arts de Montréal | Montreal QC |
2021 | Subsidies for artists in the visual arts | Ville de Montréal, and Le Conseil des arts de Montréal | Montreal QC |
2020 | Subsidies for artists in the visual arts | Ville de Montréal, and Le Conseil des arts de Montréal | Montreal QC |
Awards, Grants & Distinctions
GRANTS
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2019 | DécouvART – $ 5,000 Grant | Proaction International | Montreal QC |
DécouvART Grant offered by the Proaction International Charity for the continuation of my artistic projects | |||
Distinctions
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2018 | Finalist | Artupfest Prize | Project Pitch | Montreal QC |
For the project 'A Sound Abstraction', a collaborative exhibition with Stereo_IMG | |||
2017 | Finalist | 6th "Brush Off!" Juried Competition | Westmount QC |
For the artwork 'Et la Lumière fut' | |||
2016 | Regional Finalist | Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series | Montreal QC |
For the artwork 'Taïga' | |||
2015 | People's Choice | 5th "Brush Off!" Juried Competition | Montreal QC |
For 'Rhapsody in Blue', with a resounding majority of votes | |||
2014 | Finalist | 4th "Brush Off!" Juried Competition | Montreal QC |
For the artworks 'Or Noir' and 'L'oiseau de feu' | |||
Finalist | Le parcours de l'artiste | Montreal QC | |
Honorable Mention — "For his professionalism and determination." |
Artistic Events
Artistic Events | |||
2018 | Forging on the River Conference | The Metal Museum | Memphis TN |
Artworks presented as example for the workshop 'How to work with International galleries and creating your own distinctive brand' by Marina Cutler. | |||
2016 | Projet A144 | PHI Centre | Montreal QC |
2016 | Business Skills for Creative Souls | Rialto Theatre | Montreal QC |
Conference by YES Montreal: on-stage presentation as invited visual artist" | |||
2014 | Creative Connections 2014 | YES Montreal | Montreal QC |
On-stage presentation as invited visual artist |
Live Painting | |||
2017 | Artwork 'Kensington' | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON |
Made on Sunday, April 9th during the Artist Feature exhibition | |||
2016 | Artwork 'The Islands' | Petroff Gallery | Toronto ON |
Made on Sunday, June 26th during the Live at Petroff exhibition |
Auctions
Artworks Sold at Auction | |||
2020 | Artsida X | Les Grands Ballets | Montreal QC |
2019 | Artsida 9 | Place des Arts | Montreal QC |
2018 | Artsida 8 // Main Auction | Place des Arts | Montreal QC |
The work on paper 'Devenir Immortel' has reached a bid price of more than two and a half times its initial valuation value at the Artsida8 auction. |
Bibliography, Media & Press
Printed Publications
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2018 | Papier 2018 Art Fair Official Guide | [ISBN 978-2-9817384-0-0] | Montreal QC |
Despite the impromptu withdrawal of my works from the fair by the gallery, the painting 'Cruising With You' was nevertheless reproduced in the guide on page 77. |
Press
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2024 | Arts | Montréal en lumière | Nuit blanche : notre parcours! | 6. Au Belgo | La Presse | Montreal QC |
Article published online, Saturday March 2nd | |||
2023 | Arts | Des plans pour la Nuit blanche | La fête au Belgo | La Presse | Montreal QC |
Article published online, Saturday February 25th | |||
2022 | Suggestions culturelles | Quoi voir, quoi faire | Remix/Média au Belgo | La Presse | Montreal QC |
Article published online, Thursday, February 24th | |||
2021 | Des œuvres sur papier pour la nouvelle exposition de l’Espace 230 | Journal Métro District | Montreal QC |
Full colour page feature article, published Tuesday November 30th, page 5 | |||
2017 | Tout miser sur la peinture | Le Journal de Montréal | Montreal QC |
Full colour page feature article, published june 8th, page 14 | |||
Tout miser sur la peinture | Le Journal de Québec | Quebec QC | |
Full page feature article, published june 8th, page 16 | |||
2016 | Montreal Emerging Artist Trio Ready to Wow Toronto | The Suburban Newspaper | Montreal QC |
Article published on January 26th |
Art-Related Movies and Series
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2019 | The Brush Off Documentary | Mountain Lake PBS | Vermont VT |
A mini-series of four episodes following the daily life of Montreal artists, which aired in the spring of 2019 on Mountain Lake PBS. Directed by Chris Wynn and Avenue Art. |
Interviews and Media
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2017 | Art Without Labels by BBDO & Bombay Sapphire | Agency BBDO | New York NY |
Artwork 'Sandbanks' featured as contemporary work of art for artwithoutlabels.gallery. | |||
Exposition collective "New Works" | Galerie Youn | Montreal QC | |
A video of the 'New Works' group exhibition at Galerie Youn, on display from January 14 to March 11. Directed by Claudel Désir. | |||
2016 | Le Téléjournal de 18h | Volet Culture | CBC/Radio-Canada Ontario | Ontario ON |
Interview broadcast on Thursday, February 18, 2016 during the 'Téléjournal de 18h' for the Artist Project Opening. View the interview on Radio-Canada (starting at 19m:11s) | |||
Global TV Morning News: Montreal's Emerging Artists | Global TV | Montreal QC | |
Live interview broadcasted on Monday, February 15, 2016 ahead of my participation in the Artist Project.View the interview on Global TV | |||
The Friday Morning After: After the fair recap | Radio CKUT 90.3 FM | Montreal QC | |
Second live radio interview, broadcast on Friday, February 26th. | |||
The Friday Morning After: Week ahead of the fair | Radio CKUT 90.3 FM | Montreal QC | |
First live radio interview, broadcast on Friday, February 12th. |
Involvement
Initiatives
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2022– | Creation and design of the Belgo.art website and posters, presenting a up-to-date list of exhibitions happening in Belgo | Montreal QC |
Volunteering | |||
2017 | Tune In To YES 11 | St-James Theatre | Montreal QC |
2016 | Tune In To YES 10 | St-James Theatre | Montreal QC |
2016 | Papier 16 | Pier 16, Quai de l’Horloge | Montreal QC |
2014 | Gala des Arts Visuels '14 | Rialto Theatre | Montreal QC |
2014 | Tune In To YES 8 | L’Olympia Theatre | Montreal QC |
Mentoring | |||
2013– | YES Montreal | 666 Sherbrooke W. suite 700 | Montreal QC |
2014 | CJE Montréal Centre-Ville | 666 Sherbrooke W. suite 2100 | Montreal QC |
2013–2015 | CJE Plateau Mont-Royal | 425 Sherbrooke East | Montreal QC |
Associations and Membership | ||
2016– | Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC) | Toronto ON |
2016– | English-Language Arts Network (ELAN) | Montreal QC |
2014– | Regroupement des Artistes en Arts Visuels (RAAV) | Montreal QC |
Webography
Mentions | |||
2018, Jun 28 | Inauguration d’un nouvel atelier, celui de Louis-Bernard St-Jean […] Belgo, suite 230 | Magazine In-Situ | |
2014, Apr 29 | RAW nous éblouit une fois de plus au Rialto (photos 13-14) | Nightlife |