Press release

Montréal, January 30, 2023 — Vues du fleuve, a free exhibition running from January 31 to June 4 at the Grande Bibliothèque, offers visitors a unique, poetic perspective of prints from the collections shared by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and Loto-Québec. The works were selected by guest curators Manon Barbeau and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette.

Vues du fleuve showcases 36 prints centred on the theme of the St. Lawrence River. Inspired by the river’s presence, its importance in our lives and the memories it evokes, the curators have blended visual pieces and dialogue to create a personal, intimate and radiant experience.

The exhibit features works by Monique Charbonneau, Marc Séguin, Robert Wolfe and Kittie Bruneau, as well as Marcel Barbeau, Manon Barbeau’s father and one of the signatories of the Refus global manifesto.

Quotes

“Vues du fleuve is the result of an invaluable partnership marking the 30th anniversary of the prints’ legal deposit. The collection held by BAnQ includes over 30,000 works by more than 1,500 artists. The St. Lawrence River is a key feature of the Québec landscape and a major source of inspiration. The prints selected for the exhibition are a reflection of this. Visitors can continue their exploration through BAnQ’s digital collection, which contains thousands of scanned works, which are aimed at promoting an interest in culture and developing knowledge.”

Marie Grégoire, President and Chief Executive Officer, BAnQ

“Through its collection and partnerships, Loto-Québec creates numerous opportunities to bring art to the general public. The Grande Bibliothèque is the ideal place to present Québec’s collective heritage to the widest possible audience. In keeping with this spirit, Loto-Québec is launching the Partage l’art d’ici initiative, where visitors can send a postcard featuring one of the prints from Vues du fleuve.”

Jean-François Bergeron, President and Chief Executive Officer, Loto-Québec

Two collections that echo each other

The 36 prints featured in Vues du fleuve are from the Loto-Québec corporate art collection. As multiple copies of these prints were created, one print from each edition was also kept in the BAnQ reserves. The collections held by BAnQ and Loto-Québec contain close to 1,000 prints.

With their impressive collections, the two government corporations have joined forces to make local art more accessible. After being presented at the Grande Bibliothèque, Vues du fleuve will continue its journey up the St. Lawrence River.

Vues du fleuve is being shown on level 2 of the Grande Bibliothèque until June 4. Admission is free. For more information or to enrich your visit, go to: banq.qc.ca/exposition-vues-du-fleuve.