Jordi Bonet
Encyclopedia
Jordi Bonet was a Catalan
-born Quebec
painter
, ceramic art
ist, mural
ist, and sculptor
.
Born in Barcelona
, Spain
, he lost his right arm at the age of 9. His childhood would be marked by the Spanish Civil War
. He studied art in Barcelona; he began working in paint and ceramic before expanding his focus to metal and concrete
reliefs.
He emigrated to Canada
in 1954, establishing himself in Quebec, where he continued his studies. After briefly returning to Spain, he established an atelier in Mont-Saint-Hilaire
in 1960. Over the next 20 years, he created more than 100 works in Quebec and abroad, and associated with major art figures such as Salvador Dalí
.
His relief in the Grand Théâtre de Québec
created a scandal in 1971 because of the line "Vous êtes pas écœurés de mourir bande de caves? C'est assez !" ("Aren't you sick of dying, you gang of idiots? Enough!") incorporated into it, a quotation from the poet Claude Péloquin
. Among his other major works are the relief Citius, Altius, Fortius in the Montreal Metro
station Pie-IX
; Hommage à Gaudí, a cycle of wall sculptures in Place des Arts
in Montreal
; the Halifax Explosion Memorial Sculpture
; and a set of stained-glass windows and sculptures in Our Lady of the Skies Chapel at John F. Kennedy International Airport
in New York
. He was particularly interested in sacred works, creating artworks and liturgical objects for churches and convents in Quebec, Ontario, and elsewhere.
He was one of Quebec's major artists when he died of leukemia
at the age of 47.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
-born Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, ceramic art
Ceramic art
In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...
ist, mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
ist, and sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
.
Born in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he lost his right arm at the age of 9. His childhood would be marked by the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. He studied art in Barcelona; he began working in paint and ceramic before expanding his focus to metal and concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
reliefs.
He emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1954, establishing himself in Quebec, where he continued his studies. After briefly returning to Spain, he established an atelier in Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec
Mont-Saint-Hilaire is an off-island suburb of Montréal in southeastern Québec, Canada on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La Vallée-du-Richelieu...
in 1960. Over the next 20 years, he created more than 100 works in Quebec and abroad, and associated with major art figures such as Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
.
His relief in the Grand Théâtre de Québec
Grand Théâtre de Québec
The Grand Théâtre de Québec is an arts complex in Quebec City, Canada. It was conceived to commemorate the Canadian Centennial of 1967 and the Quebec Conference, 1864, one of the key meetings leading to the Canadian Confederation of 1867....
created a scandal in 1971 because of the line "Vous êtes pas écœurés de mourir bande de caves? C'est assez !" ("Aren't you sick of dying, you gang of idiots? Enough!") incorporated into it, a quotation from the poet Claude Péloquin
Claude Péloquin
Claude Péloquin is a Québécois poet, writer, singer, songwriter, screenwriter and director. Péloquin has published more than twenty books of poetry and is also the author of popular songs including Robert Charlebois' "Lindberg" for which he won the Félix-Leclerc Prize in 1969.-References:...
. Among his other major works are the relief Citius, Altius, Fortius in the Montreal Metro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
station Pie-IX
Pie-IX (Montreal Metro)
Pie-IX is a station on the Green Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is in the district of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
; Hommage à Gaudí, a cycle of wall sculptures in Place des Arts
Place des Arts
right|frame|View of the Place des Arts esplanade. The Musée d'art contemporain is on the left; behind it is the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, with the Théâtre Maisonneuve on the rightPlace des Arts is a major performing arts centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
in Montreal
Montreal
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...
; the Halifax Explosion Memorial Sculpture
Halifax Explosion Memorial Sculpture
The Halifax Explosion Memorial Sculpture was a work of public art in Halifax, Nova Scotia created in 1966 by the Quebec artist Jordi Bonet to commemorate the Halifax Explosion...
; and a set of stained-glass windows and sculptures in Our Lady of the Skies Chapel at John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was particularly interested in sacred works, creating artworks and liturgical objects for churches and convents in Quebec, Ontario, and elsewhere.
He was one of Quebec's major artists when he died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
at the age of 47.