ARCA
1934 - 2000
Canadian
Danse carrée: Once Upon a Square
oil on canvas
on verso signed, titled and dated November - December 1964 - January 1965
30 x 30 in, 76.2 x 76.2 cm
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CAD
Sold for: $15,210
Preview at: Heffel Vancouver
PROVENANCE
Martha Jackson Gallery, New York
An Important Montreal Collection
LITERATURE
Nathalie Garneau, Collection 1: Yves Gaucher, Les Danses carrées, Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, 2005, page 1
In 1964, Yves Gaucher set out to redefine his art with the support of his galleries. By temporarily abandoning printmaking in favour of painting, he developed a new visual language focused on hard edge line, bold colour and playful shapes. Gaucher’s inspiration for the Danse carrée series was derived from the movements of dancers in formation. This motif is essential to understanding the work Danse carrée: Once Upon a Square. Nathalie Garneau comments, “On this he arranged the elements that would henceforth characterize his formal vocabulary: lines and marks of varying lengths and thicknesses, as well as diamond shapes.”
In 1965, Gaucher’s visionary Danse carrée paintings convinced dealer Martha Jackson of New York to feature two of them in the group show Vibrations 11. Jackson was impressed and gave the artist a solo show the subsequent year. It was an incredible accomplishment for the young Canadian artist, who was now poised to burst onto the world stage. Shortly after, Gaucher was selected to represent Canada at the XXXIII Venice Biennale, together with Sorel Etrog and Alex Colville.
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 CAD
All prices are in Canadian Dollars
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