1001 Visages 2014
Article Transcript
Being a member of NCN, now ISCA, since its beginning motivated me in 2006 to create an event in Montréal as a way of bringing caricature art the attention it deserves as well as regrouping artists from afar. Getting together in local cafes, a few artist friends and some newcomers brainstormed what we could do to accomplish this goal. 1001Visages had a promising start with an exhibition of 12 well-known artists at La Place des Arts, which is a important cultural center in Québec. This exhibition lasted three months instead of the original three days it was supposed to. And the quality of the work displayed was the starting point of this whole story.
I’ll always remember 2008, though, when ISCA held its convention in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since we now had an event going on in Montréal, we were anxious to meet our American caricaturist friends at their convention and see what was happening south of the border. So, Yves Demers, generally considered one of Canada’s top caricaturists, and I left Montréal by car for the 14 hour drive.
Funny, the only place we stopped during our long ride to North Carolina was at a lunchroom somewhere in the middle of nowhere. “Funny” because the entrance of the restaurant was filled with caricatures of their employees - at least 20 or 30 of them! But the real shock occurred upon entering the dining room. All the walls from ceiling to floor below were filled with huge caricatures! We must have been on the right track stopping there, and, in fact, it’s the one and only stop-over we had on our way to Raleigh. We were encouraged to pursue our own caricature concept when we came back home, having been inspired by the exceptional quality of the work in Raleigh.
So we organized an international contest and received more than a hundred humorous drawings from around the world which were exhibited in various art galleries. Over the years we continued to connect with caricaturists wherever they worked - in fairs, public places in big cities such as Montréal or Québec city and corporate events.
Volunteers began joining our ranks such as talented photographer Mathieu Manikowski who has done work for Cirque du Soleil. A few artists from remote areas joined our ranks: Bado from Ottawa, Lar de Souza and Alma Roussy from Toronto, and a few others besides, and slowly the event began to take shape. Each year we offer our guest of honor an original by Robert LaPalme who was internationally considered as one of the world’s best caricaturists.
In 2010, we decided to pursue something more original than simply an exhibition and “Caricaturiste en spectacle” was born. Considering that caricaturists are, on a one-toone basis, really funny (and bizarre) people, we thought it would be a good idea to give them 10 minutes of stand-up comedy on a stage. This was quite a success because it was unique and people loved the two hour show. The next year we improved our show and hired professional entertainers to highlight the caricaturists’ work and to perform throughout the event. As long as they stay on topic and keep in mind our annual theme, it is coherent. For instance, a balloon artist can’t make a dog; he has to do something related to caricature (a face or someone recognizable). In the same way, a face painter has to bring originality to his/her work. It’s not always easy and the border is a fine line but when it’s well done and supervised by an art director the whole event becomes unique and filled with creativity.
After having exhibited in various locations in Montréal, the event finally took root in Val- David, one hour away from Montréal. This place has the reputation of being the artistic village of Québec. And it’s not overrated because, in fact, the number of professional artists that live in such a small place is incredible. Dancers, painters, sculptors, artisans ― you name it! Someone from every artistic field seems to live in Val-David. Over the years 1001Visages has earned notoriety because of the diversity of artists and the synergy obtained by the interaction with the public. Since there isn’t a massive pool of caricaturists in the province of Québec, we also showcase humorous drawings and editorial cartoons.
We are positioning ourselves as an international event and in the near future intend to host caricaturists from around the world during the incredible fall season, when the leaves are at their most splendid.
Robert Lafontaine is a caricaturist. He is the main organizer of the caricature event 1001Visages that will take place in October in Val-David, Québec, Canada (www.1001visages.com). For additional information, contact: 1001@1001visages.com
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