About
Colette Laliberté work crosses media and includes drawings, digital prints, photography, paintings, projections, and in-situ wallworks. She is fueled by the visual language of abstraction. Through her process, she constructs historical, cultural and personal references. She is interested in how architecture, science and technology contribute to shaping and reshaping our environment and how these affect our ways of thinking and doing. Laliberté is informed by the ideology that grouped Malevich, Lissitzky, and Moholy-Nagy, who believed in the future and held a hopeful view of art as a universal language that has the power to instill change. These ideas form the genesis of her research; however, she tempers their hopeful view with doubts about what the future holds. More specifically, she is concerned with questions unique to her time: concerns for the state of the environment and social injustice.
Born in Sherbrooke, Québec Laliberté moved to Toronto in 1985 following her residency as Young Artists in Residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts. She earned a BFA from UQAM University and an MFA from Windsor University. Her works have been exhibited in numerous solo, duo and group exhibitions in Canada and abroad. Laliberté has also participated in residencies in France, Spain, New York, and most recently at 12 Degrees in Toronto, The Durham Gallery in Stouffville, Ontario and Duntara Newfoundland.
Laliberté is an Associate Professor Emerita at the Ontario College of Art and Design University, (OCAD U) where she taught drawing, painting, installation and site specific art practices. She held the positions of Chair of First-Year Studies, Assistant Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Faculty of Art. Laliberté has been a visiting artist and lecturer in several universities, galleries and art circles as well as the recipient of grants and awards from the Ontario, Quebec, local, provincial and federal governmental agencies.
CV
Solo Exhibitions
2019 Folds in Space; 12 Degrees, 15 Beverley, Toronto (September 20 - December 12, 2019) 2018 Shedding Memories | Hangars dans le temps; The Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery, Florenceville-Bristol, NB (February 3 - Mars 15 2018) 2017 NBIISH-EAU-WATER; Galerie du nouvel Ontario (GN0), Sudbury, Ontario (October 13 - November 15, 2017) 2013 “Constructs”; Katzman & Kaman Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (March 8 - April 20, 2013) 2009 “Fitted”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (October 17 - November. 7, 2009) 2007 “Construcciõn”; Galeria de Arte Universal, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba (June - August 2007) 2005 “Conundrum”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2003 “Traffic”; Durham Art Gallery, Durham, Ontario 2002 “Fast Lane”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1999 Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1999 “Champs de ville”; Centre d’art de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec 1998 “Autonyme”; Glendon Art Gallery, York University, York, Ontario 1995 Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario 1995 Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, Ontario 1994 Gallery Workscene, Toronto, Ontario 1993 Galerie Les trois points, Montreal, Quebec 1993 Artcite Inc., Windsor, Ontario 1990 Galerie Les trois points, Montreal, Quebec 1988 Kingston Artist's Association Inc., Kingston, Ontario 1987 Galerie Noctuelle, Montreal, Quebec 1987 Zack Gallery, York University, Toronto, Ontario 1985 Galerie Skol, Montreal, Quebec 1985 Art Gallery of University of Moncton, Moncton, New-Brunswick 1984 Galerie Sans Nom, Moncton, New-Brunswick
Group Exhibitions
2015 “Bent-Lines and Folded Space”; The Latcham Gallery, Stouffville, Ontario Two-person exhibition | Curator Chai Duncan (January 31 – March 14, 2015) 2014 “Glam North”; Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario | Curators Jennifer Rudder & Alexander Irving (Februart 26 - April 26, 2014) 2014 “Orford: Territoire Insulaire / Orford: Insular Territory”, Tate Gallery, Chatham ON (January 24 – March 9, 2014) 2012 “60 Painters”; Humber College’s Arts and Media Studios, Toronto, Ontario | Curator Scott Watson (May 18-June 19, 2012) 2011 “Transitional Movement”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, ON (November 26, 2011 - January 14, 2012) 2011 “Degrees of Abstraction II”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, ON (June 11 - July 23, 2011; August 17 - September 3, 2011) 2010 “2 > 1”; Site Specific Intervention in collaboration with fellow artist Sandra Rechico; “Art +School [DISMISSED]”; Toronto, ON | Curator Heather Nicols 2009 New work by: Colette Laliberté, Angela Leach, Dyan Marie, Monica Tap, Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, ON 2009 Daimler Financial Services, Canadian Headquarters in Mississauga 2008 “La Galerie Trois Points a vingt ans”; Montreal, Quebec 2007 XXVII Festival of Caribbean Culture, Salon International, Galerea Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba 2005 “Informal Ideas: 05-04: (Fait); Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2005 “Informal Ideas 04:05 (please press landscape)”; Summer group exhibition, Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2004 Triangle Artists’ Workshop 2004, Brooklyn, New York 2003 “Blender”; Mix Magazine, An exhibition of 17 of Canada’s Hottest Visual Artists celebrating MIX Magazine’s MIX Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2003 Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec 2003 “Regard”; Touring exhibition | Curator Annie Molin Vasseur: 2003 Galerie vaste et vague de Carleton, Carleton, Quebec 2003 Glendon Art Gallery, York University, York, Ontario 2003 Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, Sudbury, Ontario 2000 “INFORMAL IDEAS : 00.3 (Play); Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2000 “Fresh Paint”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1999 INFORMAL IDEAS : 99.1 (Preview 1999); Wynick /Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1999 “TSA30”; Toronto School of Art 30th Anniversary Faculty Retrospective, York Quay Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario 1998 “Invitational”; Cold City Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1998 “Layers”; Wynick /Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1998 INFORMAL IDEAS : 98.2 (Degrees of Abstraction); Wynick /Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1997 “espace ï objet, colette laliberté & sandra rechico”; The Art Gallery of Peterborough, Ontario 1996 “Azul”; Painting Installation within the space of the Wynick/Tuck Gallery, ARCO, Madrid, Spain 1996 “INFORMAL IDEAS : 96.5 (Moving Planes)”; work in situ “Still-Blue”, Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1996 “INFORMAL IDEAS : 96.3 (The Middle Show)”; Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1996 “Atopia”; Video Installation, collaboration with Ron Loranger, François Déchesne Symposium on the topic of “Exiguity” organized by the Bureau des regroupements des artistes visuels de l’Ontario –Bravo, 1996Darling Building, Toronto, Ontario | Curator Jeanne Musiol 1995 “Tourism”; Art Gallery of Peel, Brampton, ON | Curator Andrew Hunter 1996 Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1994 “An Emerging Presence”; Gallery ArtSpace, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON | Curator Joseph Wyatt 1994 “Gallery Artists”; Galerie Les Trois Points, Montreal, Quebec 1991 The Drabinsky Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 1988 “Trois artistes autour d'une table”; Galerie Les trois points, Montreal, Quebec 1987 “Femmes-Forces”; Musée du Québec, Quebec 1986 “Mémoires Différentes/Different Memories”; Language Plus, Alma, Quebec (two-persons exhibition) 1986 “5 Artists”; Gallery 76, Toronto, Ontario 1985 “Dislocation”; Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta | Curator Lorne Falk 1984 “Hiver De Force; Hommage à Réjean Ducharme”; Galerie du Vieux Palais, Saint-Jérôme, Quebec 1981 “Art et Société”; Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec 1980 Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario 1976 Galerie Media, Montreal, Quebec 1975 Galerie Laurent Tremblay, Montreal, Quebec 1975 Comme Galerie, Quebec City, Quebec 1975 “Art-Femme”; Musée d'art contemporain, Montreal, Quebec
Screening Work
2009 “The Barn is on Fire”; Foreman Art Gallery, Bishop’sUniversity, Lennoxville, Qc; Video documentary where five members of my family speak of the 1995 fire that destroyed the barn, the herd of cattle and the summer and fall harvest; produced for the exhibition The Rustification of Henry Thomas Brown | Curator Andrew Hunter with the collaboration of Crystal Mowry. 2008 “What’s the Name of It?”; Interactivos : Vision Play, MediaLab-Prado, Madrid, Spain; Interactive video projection produced in collaboration with artist Simone Jones and presented at the entrance of the Medialab-Prado, Madrid on opening night. The projection changed configuration and intensity as the daylight waned.
Artist Residency
2016 The Wickwire Artists Guests House; English Harbour NL (June 21 – July 12, 2016 ) 2016 2 Rooms Contemporary Art Residencies, Duntara NL (June 2 – June 20, 2016) 2015 The Latchman Gallery, Stouffville ON (January 26 – January 30, 2015) 2012 Banff Art Centre, Banff Artist in Residence (BAIR), Banff, Alberta (June 25 – July 14, 2012) 2011 Camac, Centre d’art Marnay Art centre, Marnay-sur-Seine, France (May 2 – June 30, 2011) 2011 Banff Art Centre, Banff Artist in Residence (BAIR), Banff, Alberta (March 3 – 30, 2011) 2008 Cape Farewell Youth Expedition 2008; Expedition to study the impact of climate change on the Arctic, British Council, Ottawa, Ontario 2008 Interactivos: Vision Play; MediaLab-Prado, Spain 2004 Triangle Artists’ Workshop; Brooklyn, New York 2004 Paris Studio, Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France 2004 Cité Cézanne à Pontoise, École nationale supérieure d’art de Cergy-Pontoise, France 1984 Banff Centre of the Arts, Banff, Alberta 1984 Professional training workshops, Paris, France
Public/ Private Commissions
2000 “Place to Place”; On-site painting installation at the residence of a private art collector, Toronto, Ontario 1995 Projet d'Intégration des arts à l'architecture; Ministry of Cultural Affairs, commissioned piece for École Saint-Patrice, Magog, Quebec 1992 Projet d'intégration des arts à l'architecture; Ministry of Cultural Affair, commissioned piece for École Sainte-Cécile, Lac Mégantic, Quebec
Curatorial Projects
2008 “Penance and Devotion”; Gareth Bate, Glendon Gallery, Glendon Campus, York University, Toronto, Ontario 1992 “August and Portrait Oval”; John Armstrong and Ben Wamsley, Artcite, Windsor, Ontario 1991 Valérie Gill and Barbara Claus; Mercer Union, Toronto, Ontario
Artist Talks
2016 Spaces: Shaped |Reshaped |Transformed; School of Creative Arts, Windsor University, Windsor, Ontario (April 6) 2016 Installation and Site Specific Practice; St-Mark School, King Clove, NL June 9, 2016 2015 2015 “In Conversation”, The Latchman Gallery, Stouffville, Ontario, January 31, 2015 2011 “Work in Progress”, Banff Art Centre, Banff, Alberta (March 23) 2011 “Work in Progress”, CAMAC, Marnais sur Seine, France, (June 21) 2011 “Le Monde dans la tête”; Guelph University, School of Fine Arts and Music, Studio Arts, Guelph, Ontario (Nov. 2011) 2009 “Drawing in Contemporary Art Practice »; John B. Aird Gallery, McDonald Block, Toronto, Ontario. 2008 “Interactivos : Vision Play”; Medialab-Prado, Madrid, Spain 2008 Guelph University, 4th year drawing class, Guelph, Ontario 2007 Galeria de Arte Universal, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba 2005 Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto, Ontario 2005 Durham Art Gallery, Durham, Ontario 2002 TV Interview; “Fou D’art”; Mega TFO, Toronto, Ontario 2000 Collector’s Residence, Toronto, Ontario 2000 Waterloo University, Waterloo, Ontario 2000 Guelph University, Guelph, Ontario 1998 Glendon Art Gallery, Glendon College, York University, North-York, Ontario 1997 The Art Gallery of Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario 1996 “How the Painting Deserted the Easel”; Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario 1994 Bravo Sud, Toronto, Ontario 1994 Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario 1993 “Imaging the Urban”; Windsor Postcard Project, Windsor, Ontario 1993 University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario 1988 Language Plus, Alma, Quebec 1988 K.A.A.I. Gallery, Kingston, Ontario 1987 J. Zack Gallery, York University, Toronto, Ontario 1987 University of Moncton, Moncton, New-Brunswick 1987 University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
Guest Lecturer
2016 “Discussion Evening”; jurying process and the selected works for the Exhibition “Resonance”, The Latchman Gallery, Stouffville, Ontario (April 13) 2009 “Cape Farewell Youth Expedition 2008,” Key Speaker at the CIS Independent Schools Visual Arts Conference, McMichael Gallery, Kleinberg, Ontario 2009 “Drawing in Contemporary Art Practice,” John B. Aird Gallery, McDonald Block, Toronto, Ontario 2003 Panellist; L’AGAF, National Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario 2003 Guest Artist; Fourth year painting group, final critique, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario 2003 “Drawing in Contemporary Art Practice,” John B. Aird Gallery, McDonald Block, Toronto, Ontario 1992 “What is painting?”; University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario 1991 “Painting in the 80's”; University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario 1990 “French Contemporary Art”; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario 1989 “L'art de Borduas et les Automatistes”; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Publications
“Colette Laliberté | Traces du Mont Orford”; Blurb Publication. Artist book produced for the exhibition, Orford: Insular Territory, Geneviève Chevalier January 24-March 9, 2014 “The Culture of Climate Change” co-written with Larissa Kostoff, OCAD Sketch Magazine, Winter 2009
Reviews/ Bibliography
Radio Canada Halifax, Interview for the morning cultural program “Le Réveil”; interviewed by Natalie Geddry about my residency at 2 Rooms Artists Residency, June 16, 2016 Chai Duncan, “Bent Lines and Folded Space” Exhibition Publication, The Latchman Gallery, Stouffville, Ontario, January 31, 2015 printed and web publications) Bill Clarke, “Glam North: Doris McCarthy and her New Contemporaries” C Magazine 122, Locations Summer 2014 Jennifer Rudder, Alexander Irving, “Doris McCarthy and Her New Contemporaries”, Doris McCarthy Gallery. DMG, February 27 2014. Web. 1 July 2014. Buj, Lorenzo et Karla McManus (2014). Orford: Insular Territory, Chatham, On. Thames Art Gallery. 2013 Carol-Ann M. Ryan, “Colette Laliberté Brings Drama to Diagrams”, Canadian Art Online Magazine. Posted: July 29, 2013, Cooper Cole, “Legacy” MONOCHROMATIC AXONOMETRIC blog. Posted: May 21, 2012 R.M. Vaughan, The Exhibitionist, “Art School (Dismissed)”, The Globe and Mail, May 15, 2010 Rhonda Olson, Colette Laliberte@ Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Nov. 16, 2009 Eduardo Navas, The State Of Swift Production: Interactivos 08 (Part 3 Of 3), Remix Theory, online publication Triangle Arts, Catalogue Triangle Artists’ Workshop 2004, Brooklyn, NY, 2006 John Armstrong, “Colette Laliberté, Wynick/Tuck Gallery, Toronto” Canadian Art, Spring 2006, Volume 23, Number 1 Gary Michael Dault, Gallery Going, The Globe and Mail, September 10, 2005 Gary Michael Dault, “A journey through the wall and back again”, Gallery Going, The Globe and Mail, September 17, 2005 MIX, MIX Gallery, “Vectorize, Transformed, Cut, Scaled, and Printed, the computer-generated copy is then reworked”, V29.3 Winter 2004 Hirschman Thomas, Now Critics’ picks, “Tech Touch”, Fall Guide 2002, NOW, 2002 Annie Molin Vasseur, Catalogue “Regard”, La galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, 2002 Catalogue, “En marge”, BRAVO, Bureau des regroupements des artistes visuels de l’Ontario, Edition d’art le Sabord, Collection excentrique, HLN, Sherbrooke, 1999 Gary Michael Dault, “Colette Laliberté at the Wynick/Tuck Gallery”, The Globe and Mail, December 1999 Hirschmann Thomas, “New in Galleries”, National Post, November 1999 John Massey, Catalogue “TSA 30”, Toronto School of Art, Toronto, Ontario, 1999 Ihor Holubizky, Catalogue “Art Gallery of Hamilton 1994-1996”, Hamilton, Ontario, 1996 Sean Russo, “Suburban space gets time at the Glendon Gallery”, Bayview Post, Toronto, Ontario, December 1998 Rose Bergeron, “Colette Laliberté à Glendon —AUTONYMES”, L’Express de Toronto, December 1998 Catherine Osborne, Catalogue “espace ï objet”, The Peterboroug Art Gallery, Peterborough, Ontario, 1997 Andrew Hunter, “The Tourist”, The Art Gallery of Peel, Peel, Ontario, 1994 Christopher Moore, “Visiting Artist's exhibit opens at the Agnes”, The Queen's Journal, Kingston, Ontario, January 1995 Myriam Gagnon, “Colette Laliberté une Québécoise à Toronto”, L'Actualité Médicale, Montréal, Quebec, January 1995 Raymond Bernatchez, “Deux mondes mais une vision contemporaine de l'art d'ici et d'ailleurs”, La Presse, Montreal, May 1993 Kate Taylor, “Art About”, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, August 1991 Catalogue “Femmes-Forces”, Musée du Québec, Quebec, September 1987 Claire Gravel, “Femmes-Forces : il n'y a pas d'art féminin”, Le Devoir, Montreal, October 1987 Lawrence Sabatt, “Quebec's Female Artists Get Their Due”, Special to the Gazette, The Gazette, Montreal, May 1985 Lorne Falk, Catalogue “Dislocation”, Banff, Alberta, 1984 Rivet, Michel, Catalogue “Hiver de Force”, La Galerie du Vieux Palais, St-Jérôme, Quebec, 1985 Catalogue “Art et Société 1975 - 1980”, Musée du Québec, Edition Intervention, Québec, 1981
Awards/ Grants Selected
2017, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1991 - 1997, 1989 - 1988 Ontario Arts Council: Visual Art Grant – Mid Career, Established Artist Grant, Exhibition Assistance Grant 2010, 2004, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1985, 1975 Canada Council for the Arts: Travel Grant, Mid-Career Grant, Paris Studios Grant, C Grant, Project Cost Grant, Exhibition Grant, Research Grant 2002 Sheridan College, Professional Development Grant 1999 Toronto Arts Council, Visual Artists Grant 1992 Ontario Grant Studies, Ministry of Education 1992 University of Windsor, Ontario, Material Grant 1991 Education's Award for “Beyond the Museum” course, AGO, Art Galleries Ontario Association 1990 Ministry of Culture and Communications, Ontario/Quebec Cultural Exchange Program Grant 1990 Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Quebec, Accessibility Grant 1984 First Prize ex aequo, “Hiver de force, Hommage à Réjean Ducharme”, Saint Jérôme, Quebec 1973 Best in Print Making, “Les Amis de l’art”, U.Q.A.M., Quebec 1972 Prize from Prime Minister, Quebec – Robert Bourassa
Collections
Public Collections: Canada Council Art Bank; Banque de prêts d'oeuvres d'art du Québec; Musée des Beaux-Arts de Sherbrooke; Toronto Dominion Bank; Dan Donovan Collection, Toronto Private collections: Canada; France; Germany; Spain
Jury
2016 Jury Member: The Latchman Gallery, Stouffville, Ontario; Group Exhibition Resonance, March 8 2014 Jury Member; Grants to Visual Artists: Established, Ontario Arts Council 2011 Jury Member; Fonds québécois de recherche; Société et Culture, funds allocation for “Post Doctorate Research-Creation, New Professors in Research - Creators and Support to Research-Creation, Montreal, Québec 2010 Jury Member; Curatorial Program 2010-2011, Glendon Gallery, York University, North York, Ontario 2009 Jury Member; 10th Drawing Show,” John B. Aird Gallery, McDonald Bloc, Toronto, Ontario Jury Member; Curatorial Program, Glendon Gallery, North York, Ontario 2008 Jury Member; Curatorial Program, Glendon Gallery, North York, Ontario 2004 Jury Member; Grants to Visual Artists: Senior, Ontario Arts Council 2003 Jury Member; Grant to Visual artists: Emerging Level, Canada Arts Council, Ottawa, Ontario 1998 Jury member; Scholarship for Best Female Painter, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Ontario 1998 Jury member; “B” Grant, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg, Manitoba 1998 Jury member; group exhibition, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta
Education
MFA University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario B.F.A., University of Quebec at Montreal, Quebec
Professional Activity
2004 - present Associate Professor, Faculty of Art, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Ontario