ABOUT
In the studio. Photo by Diane Laberge
BIOGRAPHY
Michel Beaucage was born in Montréal in 1958. He earned his master of fine arts degree from Université du Québec à Montréal in 1990 and trained in carborundum engraving at Atelier Pasnic, in Paris.
For over 25 years, he has shown his works every year in solo or group exhibitions in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia. Since making his first foray into China during the Beijing International Art Biennale in 2005, he has incorporated Oriental-inspired motifs and techniques into his art.
His works are part of more than 40 prestigious public and private collections, including the permanent collection of the Beijing International Art Biennale, the Musée d’art contemporain des Laurentides, Loto-Québec, the National Bank of Canada and the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
ARTISTIC PROCESS
A gestural painter, Michel Beaucage has earned a name for his unique creative expression. His works both refer to the visible world and reflect suggestive perceptions. The interplays of abstraction and representation evoke nature, artistic movements and oriental stylization. Lines and shapes arising from spontaneous brush strokes, superimposed transparent planes and harmony of colours are all characteristic of his paintings.
His talent is also expressed in drawing, engraving (carborundum), sculpture and bas-relief murals. Through his singular use of acrylic and rice paper, he infuses his work with transparent effects reminiscent of crystallinity, glass and ceramic glaze. He incorporates collage (paper, jute, fabric and fragments of drawings and engravings) to add contour and texture, and has developed an original technique using rice paper as a medium to infuse his paintings with transparency and fragility. His works are often produced as a series, inviting the viewer to experience an allegorical and contemplative perspective of art.
CV
CV Michel Beaucage ENG 2024