Claude Vermette
Encyclopedia
Claude Vermette R.C.A.
Claude Vermette R.C.A. is a Canadian ceramist and painter who was born in Montréal, Province of Québec, August 10, 1930 and who died in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, April 21, 2006. Artist of international reputation, he did an important contribution to the ceramics arts in Canada, especially in the field of architectural ceramics in which he is considered a pioneer.
, Claude Vermette studied art under the guidance of Brother Jerome, c.s.c. at Notre-Dame College while also attending the Collège Saint-Laurent and the college of the Clercs de Saint-Viateur for his academic studies. Through his contact with Brother Jerome, he met Paul-Émile Borduas
and joined the Automatiste group of emerging artists. He was considered too young by Borduas to sign the 1948 "Refus Global
" (Global denial), but he was present at the launch of this manifesto, which was destined to become famous in Québec’s contemporary history. Drawing, painting and ceramics were then his main modes of expression.
, a major player in the rebirth of modern Italian design and founder of the magazine Domus
and the sculptor-ceramist Fausto Melotti. Another decisive encounter is that of the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto
.
Thereafter, Claude Vermette concentrated his efforts on architectural ceramics for which he created new forms of composition for the clay, a wider variety of modules for tiles and bricks, and new patented enamels. All these innovations resulted in much appreciation regarding the quality and sustainability of his ceramics, notably in the context of the Canadian climate and its gruelling winters. His bricks and tiles also earned him the 1962 first prize for industrial design.
in 1970, at the 1976 Summer Olympics
held in Montreal as well as in many schools, churches, courthouses (including those in Montreal, St-Hyacinthe and at Percé in the Gaspé Peninsula ), hospitals (including those of Notre-Dame and Marie-Enfant in Montréal, and Amos in Abitibi), universities (including that of Montréal, McGill, Laval and Sherbrooke), government buildings, airports (Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Mirabel and Molton), in more than a dozen Montreal subway stations (including Saint-Laurent, Peel, Berri-UQAM, Laurier) and other buildings, including those of General Motors in New York City, MacMillan Bloedel in Vancouver, Bell Canada in Toronto, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Texaco Canada and Quebecor to name a few more. He also created many works, such as ceramic fireplaces mantles and wall murals for private mansions. His works are also found in museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal.
The artist uses his experiences as game textures, reliefs and light of his prints into white concrete works, thereby making the building for the Caisse populaire Laurier in Ottawa a dozen bas-reliefs of white concrete, large and small dimensions, varying textures, thicknesses and relief printed to the material.
Vermette was also interested in creating watercolor works of all sizes such as, among them, a giant mural of over 80 meters long at Bell Trinity Square Office in Toronto. Another book of art is born, Gestes de Liberté, this time in collaboration with the economist, André Raynauld. Art and science! This challenge of uniting the work of a painter and that of an economist is reflected in the execution of this book which includes an abstract watercolor where dominate color and movement and a series of nine articles on the theme of freedom.
At the time of his death, he had just finished replacing the five exterior aluminium enameled murals he had created for the walls of the Beaver Lake Pavilion on Mount-Royal in Montréal, which were initially made in ceramic in 1958 and were unfortunately victims of demolition. This historic pavilion was renovated by the City of Montreal and inaugurated in January 2006. To mark the quality of the achievement, the City was awarded the Orange Prize 2006 by the organization Sauvons Montreal in category "Intervention heritage.
He was the husband of the artist Mariette Rousseau-Vermette, tapestry weaver who, by the aesthetic and technical qualities of the tapestries and the impressive number of monumental works, has earned an international reputation. The couple who had two children lived in Ste-Adele. Both had a professional art career that spans over a period of sixty years.
Claude Vermette R.C.A. is a Canadian ceramist and painter who was born in Montréal, Province of Québec, August 10, 1930 and who died in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, April 21, 2006. Artist of international reputation, he did an important contribution to the ceramics arts in Canada, especially in the field of architectural ceramics in which he is considered a pioneer.
Biography
As a ceramist who worked in the architectural field, Claude Vermette is a pioneer in Québec and in Canada with regards to this type of artistic expression. The bursts of colours of his ceramics, the warmth of their hues and the play of their textures brought a human dimension in architectural spaces that were often grey and frigid. In his paintings as well as in his prints and watercolours, Claude Vermette pursued this bold approach while constantly renewing and expanding the possibilities of colour and light.Studies
A native of MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Claude Vermette studied art under the guidance of Brother Jerome, c.s.c. at Notre-Dame College while also attending the Collège Saint-Laurent and the college of the Clercs de Saint-Viateur for his academic studies. Through his contact with Brother Jerome, he met Paul-Émile Borduas
Paul-Émile Borduas
Paul-Émile Borduas was a Canadian painter known for his abstract paintings. He was also an activist for the separation of church and state, especially for art, in Quebec.- Biography :...
and joined the Automatiste group of emerging artists. He was considered too young by Borduas to sign the 1948 "Refus Global
Refus Global
Le Refus global, or Total Refusal, was an anti-establishment and anti-religious manifesto released on August 9, 1948 in Montreal by a group of sixteen young Québécois artists and intellectuals that included Paul-Émile Borduas and Jean-Paul Riopelle....
" (Global denial), but he was present at the launch of this manifesto, which was destined to become famous in Québec’s contemporary history. Drawing, painting and ceramics were then his main modes of expression.
Formative years
His first exhibitions in 1948, 1950 and 1952 caused him to be noticed by art critics who praised his talent and perceived the promise a bright future. In 1952, his interest in ceramics expanded during a study tour in Europe and especially in Italy where he met the architect Gio PontiGiò Ponti
Gio Ponti was one of the most important Italian architects, industrial designers, furniture designers, artists, and publishers of the twentieth century.-Early life:...
, a major player in the rebirth of modern Italian design and founder of the magazine Domus
Domus
In ancient Rome, the domus was the type of house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. They could be found in almost all the major cities throughout the Roman territories...
and the sculptor-ceramist Fausto Melotti. Another decisive encounter is that of the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
.
Thereafter, Claude Vermette concentrated his efforts on architectural ceramics for which he created new forms of composition for the clay, a wider variety of modules for tiles and bricks, and new patented enamels. All these innovations resulted in much appreciation regarding the quality and sustainability of his ceramics, notably in the context of the Canadian climate and its gruelling winters. His bricks and tiles also earned him the 1962 first prize for industrial design.
Architectural Ceramic
In 1953, the then 23 years old artist produced his first great work in ceramics: the huge background of the main altar and the whole ceiling of the new chapel of the Seminary of Chicoutimi. There followed a career of twenty-five years as ceramist characterized by close collaboration with architects and engineers, during which he produced large works in more than a hundred public buildings, including pavilions and buildings connected to the Montreal World’s Fair in 1967 (EXPO 67), at OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
in 1970, at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
held in Montreal as well as in many schools, churches, courthouses (including those in Montreal, St-Hyacinthe and at Percé in the Gaspé Peninsula ), hospitals (including those of Notre-Dame and Marie-Enfant in Montréal, and Amos in Abitibi), universities (including that of Montréal, McGill, Laval and Sherbrooke), government buildings, airports (Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Mirabel and Molton), in more than a dozen Montreal subway stations (including Saint-Laurent, Peel, Berri-UQAM, Laurier) and other buildings, including those of General Motors in New York City, MacMillan Bloedel in Vancouver, Bell Canada in Toronto, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Texaco Canada and Quebecor to name a few more. He also created many works, such as ceramic fireplaces mantles and wall murals for private mansions. His works are also found in museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal.
Engravings, watercolours and paintings
Claude Vermette also felt the need to pursue research that initially evolved into the creation of small-scale ceramic works where he experimented with new forms, textures and glazes and later also included engravings, sculptures and especially painting. He was further distinguished by mastery in engraving, taking advantage of relief materials that linked the play of light: evidenced by its white on white prints and art book Blanc-Seing when it operates in its many variations, the latter accompanied by texts by the poet Eugene Cloutier. These prints have inspired the realization of small sculptures.The artist uses his experiences as game textures, reliefs and light of his prints into white concrete works, thereby making the building for the Caisse populaire Laurier in Ottawa a dozen bas-reliefs of white concrete, large and small dimensions, varying textures, thicknesses and relief printed to the material.
Vermette was also interested in creating watercolor works of all sizes such as, among them, a giant mural of over 80 meters long at Bell Trinity Square Office in Toronto. Another book of art is born, Gestes de Liberté, this time in collaboration with the economist, André Raynauld. Art and science! This challenge of uniting the work of a painter and that of an economist is reflected in the execution of this book which includes an abstract watercolor where dominate color and movement and a series of nine articles on the theme of freedom.
Last years
In the last thirty years of his life, Claude Vermette devoted most of his activity to painting. His works has been exhibited in Canada and abroad and is represented in the collections of public institutions, large corporations as well as private collections.At the time of his death, he had just finished replacing the five exterior aluminium enameled murals he had created for the walls of the Beaver Lake Pavilion on Mount-Royal in Montréal, which were initially made in ceramic in 1958 and were unfortunately victims of demolition. This historic pavilion was renovated by the City of Montreal and inaugurated in January 2006. To mark the quality of the achievement, the City was awarded the Orange Prize 2006 by the organization Sauvons Montreal in category "Intervention heritage.
He was the husband of the artist Mariette Rousseau-Vermette, tapestry weaver who, by the aesthetic and technical qualities of the tapestries and the impressive number of monumental works, has earned an international reputation. The couple who had two children lived in Ste-Adele. Both had a professional art career that spans over a period of sixty years.