Jean-Marie Delavalle

Jean-Marie Delavalle’s artistic career extends over nearly fifty years. Born in Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 1944, he arrived in Montreal with his family in 1954. Known mainly as a sculptor and painter, Delavalle has also been interested in Conceptual Art and, in the 1970s, played a significant role within Montreal’s artist community. As a purist artist, he has explored the qualities specific to colour, the effects of serial representation, and perceptual phenomena since his earliest works.

Delavalle’s work has been widely shown in Canada and abroad. Among others, it has been featured in the exhibitions Traffic: Conceptual Art in Canada 1965–1980 (touring exhibition, 2010–2014); The Sixties in Canada (National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2005); Heavy Metal (Roger Smith Gallery, New York, 2000); Déclics. Art et société. Le Québec des années 1960 et 1970 (Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1999); Et ainsi de suite… (Galerie Christiane Chassay, Montréal, 1995); Pièces choisies (Gilbert Brownstone & Cie, Paris, 1990); The Record as Artwork from Futurism to Conceptual Art (touring exhibition, 1977–1978); Périphéries (Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, 1974); Camerart (Optica, Montreal, 1974); Les moins de 35 (Galerie Média gravures et multiples, Montreal, 1973); and Nouvelle sculpture de Montréal (Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, Montreal, 1971). His recent output has been seen mostly in solo shows at Christopher Cutts Gallery in Toronto, which has represented him since 1992. Jean-Marie Delavalle’s works can be found in the collections of all major Canadian museums. [Source : VOX, 2014]