Michael Audain heads Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation
Credit to Author: Kevin Griffin| Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2019 21:46:29 +0000
In advance of the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary artist Jean Paul Riopelle, a new foundation has been established headed by Vancouver philanthropist Michael Audain.
Audain is chairman of the board of the newly formed Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation based in Montreal.
Riopelle, considered one of the leading abstract painters of the 20th century, left a legacy of more than 6,000 paintings and works. He was born in Montreal and lived in France for more than 40 years.
Oct. 7, 2023, is the centenary of his birth.
“The foundation’s objective is to promote the rediscovery of Riopelle’s legacy as an iconic vision, a symbol of freedom, creativity and experimentation,” Audain said Thursday in a news release. “We hope that his visual poetry and worldview will serve as an inspiration for young people here in Canada and around the world.”
Audain has more than 30 Riopelle paintings in his personal collection.
During the next four years the foundation plans to organize a series of national and international initiatives focusing on Riopelle that culminate with a centenary celebration in 2023.
The foundation’s inaugural executive director is Manon Gauthier.
In B.C., the Audain Foundation has given more than $120 million in grants to support the visual arts since 1997. In 2016, the $43.5-million Audain Art Museum opened in Whistler to house art collected by Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa.
Jean Paul Riopelle’s 1953 abstract painting Incandescence sold for $2.28 million at the Heffel auction in Toronto in May.