RARE PEARLS

by Marissa Consiglieri de Chackal

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LOOKING AT REGARDS DU MONDE

Lovers and buyers of art walk the same, mostly unrewarding, path. With dedication and zeal, in all sorts of extreme Canadian weather, we trudge from one gallery to another, only to discover a safe and unvariable art that is as boring as the imaginations behind it, where each redundant, figurative-impressionist, living room-friendly work is as predictable as the wall paper from which it will stand out. What keeps us trudging is the hope that somewhere out there someone has the courage to present works that not only please but challenge, who are not afraid to take a chance on artists who are not afraid to take risks.

Miles from Montreal’s downtown art district, at the Leonardo da Vinci center, I took a chance on the Regards du Monde exhibition, curated by Eleonora Dufault and Janet Wilkinson. So far it has been the best group exhibit I’ve seen in 2004. A high percentage of the works immediately caught my eye and even awoke my long dormant penchant to collect. From the incredible abstracts of the gifted emerging artist Nguyen Tai to the magnificent feminine figures of the well established Juan Manual Sánchez, I felt that these were artists who might one day be recognized as significant.

The exhibition was organized by the gallery Mondo d'Arte of Ottawa. It was held this summer at the Leonardo da Vinci Italian community center. Can’t wait for their next.

Autumn Splendor
Charlie Spratt
Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 48 in.

Composition 12012003
Nguyen Tai
Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36 in.

Tango de cabaret
Ida O.
Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 in.

Woman’s Profile
Juan Manuel Sanchez
Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 in.

Five trees
Yuji Yokoyama
Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in.