BIO
Véronique Besançon was born in Marrakech in 1959, from a French father and a Russian-Hungarian mother. In 1965, her family moved to Paris. She pursued university studies in clinical psychology. The human being is already her primary concern and challenges her in its complexity and essence. By taking an interest in the development of the person, she turned to the field of pedagogy. She arrives in Montreal in a university setting in 1997 and she adopts Quebec by heart. She pursues a career as a consultant in educational technology at the Université de Montréal. At the same time, she devotes herself to creative and innovative practices in contemporary dance, theatre, automatic writing and painting.
A self-taught artist for more than a dozen years, she has been exploring the amalgamation of pigments in a free gesture of pictorial abstraction. As colours and words draw her reflection, Véronique Besançon develops an artistic research that uses personal interiority to try to understand its human complexity. She creates universes that establish a dialogue between her characters. They reflect places, present moments, releases taken, developed as the beginning of stories, bringing out the human essence. She documents her artistic journey through collections of paintings and poetry.
Que se dit-on quand on ne parle pas?
In today's fast-paced societies, where time passes through our lives with events of all kinds, we are constantly evolving among invisible social zones. This group spirit is not just the passive result of a gregarious instinct, it creates a collective imprint, a collective unconsciousness, a collective memory, whatever you want to call it, it is like an accumulation of energies nourished by the feelings, desires, ideals or fears of all our humanity.
As an artist, art brings its share of human confrontations and my inspiration is born in an unconscious form that is defined by a sensory receptivity that absorbs this egregore. But if we are able to generate together this shared consciousness, how can we translate it into words, how can we look at the world as a whole, how can we analyse and understand it?
It is on the basis of these notions that my greatest concern, or rather my artistic unconscious, gives me the impression of being stuck in the existence of the other. It creates a tension of emotions and feelings, which do not belong to me, but which I can transpose on canvas, leaving the pictorial trace of the emergence of a group spirit.
My approach is at first intuitive, of course, but later it unravels in narrative form, to disappear under layers and layers of colour, stains and imprints. Nothing is completed if there is not the finality of making emerge through free gestures, strokes in pastels, scrawled like sketches on the surface like a spontaneous writing.
Everything becomes limpid, creating stories, anecdotes of social facts, letting characters emerge, always with indefinite atmospheres, but whose sketched bodies become like an analysis of the essential of the human being. These characters who are the result of an encounter, a look, a public event, a journey, a memory of a situation personally experienced but with someone other than myself, but of all these spaces-time, I was there, I was present.
Thus, through an inner look, my painting relates my multicultural connection, an art brut that is impregnated with the traces left by the observation of others.
CV
Exhibitions
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
Solo exhibitions
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
2020 - "At the heart of the world" - Senthé, Montreal
2019 - "The heart of the world" - Galerie Le 1040, Montreal
2019 - "Open heart" - Gallery space, Saint Sauveur
2018-19 - “Freeze frame, when emotion is revealed…” - Parcours M, Montreal
2017 - "I am the migrant traveler" - Galerie Espace, Montreal
2017 - “Words are windows or walls…” - Galerie Josette Tilmant, St Sauveur
2016 - Maison Parent-Roback, Montreal
2015 - “Selfie of you” - Atrium Verses, Montreal
2015 - Beaubien Cinema, Montreal
2014 - "Conciliabule" - Carrefour Culturel, Rosemont Petite Patrie, Montreal
2013 - "Vanishing point of the meeting" - Galerie Fabienne Rhein, Montreal
2013 - Promenade Masson, Montreal
2012 - "Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer: Les indignés" - Galerie Espace Contemporain, Montreal
2012- “With recycled frames, unveiled paintings” - Belgo, Galerie d'Art Contemporain Le Verseau, Montreal
International exhibitions
2020 - "Art against single thought", Contemporary art workshops - Mairie de Montreuil, France
2019 - "20/20", Galerie Nadar, Casablanca, Morocco
2019 - International Art Fair, 10th Sarria Biennale, AAC, Sarria, Spain
2019 - Humanitarian project for the benefit of Syrian children - Town Hall, Vienna, Austria
2018 - Artist residency Marrakech - Mohamed Sekkat University Library, Casablanca
2017 - ArtFair Beijing, China
2017 - 16 -15 - 14 -13 - 12 “Women in Art” - Ward Nasse Gallery, Soho, New-York
2016 - 15 -14-13-12 - ArtExpo New-York, New York
2016 - “Summer Solstice”, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New-York
2016 - 15 - “The unexpected”, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New-York
2014 - Show de Bola, Martha Watts Cultural Center, Piracicaba, Brazil
2014 - Show de Bola, Centro Cultural Justiça Federal, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2014 - Show de Bola, Biblioteca Prefeito Prestes Maia, Santo Amaro, Brazil
Since 2012 - Ward Nasse Gallery, Soho, New-York
Duo - trio - quartet exhibitions
2018 - “Marie and Véronique make an exhibition” Galerie Âme-Art, Montreal
2018 - “Rencontre au feminine”, Vues d'Afrique, Montreal
2014 - "Multidisciplinary group" - Galerie Gora, Montreal
2014 - "Le Rendez-vous" - Espace Gallery, Montreal
2014 - "Architecture and environment" - RCARPP, Esplanade Loft project, Montreal
2013 - "The Body in All Its States" - RCARPP, Esplanade Loft project, Montreal
2013 - "Zoom In, Zoom Out" - Galerie Espace Contemporain, Montreal
2013 - “From Origin to Atmosphere” - Galerie Espace, Montreal
2012 - “Let's occupy space! »Espace Gallery, Montreal
Collective exhibitions
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
2019-18 - "Your papers please", Exhib'Art Gallery, Ville st laurent
2019 - “Africa-America Expo Retrouvailles” 10th edition - Views of Africa Expo Rally, Casa Italia, Montreal
2019 - Collective - HangArt Gallery, Montreal
2019 - “Tout en couleurs” - Espace Galerie, Saint Sauveur
2017 - "Great Big small III" - Cube Gallery - Ottawa
2017 - "The choice of artists" - Arts and materials and Movim-Arts group Quebec-Canada - MAA - Montreal
2017 - “Color against pain” - Saint Lambert
2017 - "The best time" - Mile End Gallery, Montreal
2017 - "Retrouvaille" - Rallye expos Vue d'Afrique, Moroccan Cultural Center, Montreal
2017 - "Small formats" - Josette Tilmant Art Gallery, St Sauveur
2016 - “Sensibility” - Fontaine Gallery, Gatineau
2016 - 15 - 14 - "Rencontre" - Rallye expos Vue d'Afrique, Montreal
2016 - 15 - “It's beautiful but what is it? »- Galerie des Cent Talents, Montreal
2015 - “Cities and Villages of Quebec as seen by 50 artists” - Laurier Museum in Victoriaville
2015 - "The art that seduces" - Galerie Carte Blanche, Montreal
2015 - "Entre Nous" - Maison Trestler, Vaudreuil-Dorion
2014 - “The heritage… seen by our artists” - Maison de la culture Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Montreal
2014 - “C'est gros en petit” - Galerie Zéphyr, Montreal
2014 - Vue d'Afrique rally, Montreal, Maison Parent-Roback, Montreal
2014-13-12 - Themed exhibitions - Mile End Gallery, Montreal
2014 - "Art Market place" - Center d'art EK Voland Art Gallery , Montreal
2013 - “Traits d'Unions” - Rallye expos Vue d'Afrique, Montreal
2013 - “Femmes Artistes” - Rallye expos Vues d'Afrique, Montreal
2013 - “Luminosity, Yellow Art” - Contemporary Space, Montreal
2013 - ArtsSutton - Art Gallery, Sutton
2013 - "Vibrant" - Viva Vida Art Gallery, Pointe Claire
2012 - Nuit Blanche - Le Belgo, Le Verseau Art Gallery, Montreal
2011-12 - Le Verseau Art Gallery, Le Belgo, Montreal
2011 - 12 - Galerie d'Art Trudel, Joliette
Symposiums and exhibitions with selection
2020 - Les Rendez-vous Arts Sutton, Sutton
2020- VASA - Arts Festival's "Colors of South Asia" online exhibition
2019 - Artfest, Toronto
2018 - Toronto Outdoor, Toronto
2018-17- 16 - Live painting Festival Classica, St Lambert
2017 - "Fall dreams" Symposiun Baie Saint-Paul
2018-17-16 - Autumn Fair of the Mont St Hilaire Museum, Mont St Hilaire
2018-17- 16-15-14-13 -12 - TRAM Fall Show, Town of Mont Royal
2016 - 15 - TRACES Symposium, Champboisé
2015 - Expo-vente Mtl en Arts / Plaza St-Hubert, Montreal
2014 - Symposium, Festiv'Art de Frelighsburg
2013 - 14 - 29th and 30th Concours-Gala, Circle of painters and sculptors of Quebec, Mtl
2013 - CAVMA Show - Palais des Congrès, Gatineau
2013 - Expo Concours Automnale AAPARS, Center Dulude, St-Bruno
2013 - Art and Gardens Symposium, Boucherville
2013 - At the artists' park, Art Gallery, Outremont
2013- Visit'Art Symposium, Ste-Hyacinthe
Participation in charitable and social events
2020 - LCF Foundation auctions for children in need of Lebanon
2018 - Memory holes - Exhib'art, Saint Laurent Recreation Center
2018-17-16-13 - “Parle-moi d'Amour”, Galerie des Impatients, Montreal, Wellington Center
2018-16-15-14 - Culture Days, Montreal
2016-15-14 - Les Meals on Wheels, Montreal
2013 - Le Baluchon- Ste Hyacinthe
Participation in artistic associations
Since 2013 - RAAV - Regrouping of visual artists of Quebec
Since 2012 - RACRPP - Rosemont Petite Patrie arts and culture group
Since 2012 - TRAM - Roundtable in Art - Ville Mon-Royal
Training
2017 - Sell your works without losing your soul - RAAV- Montreal
2013 - Artistic career management - Autonomous spaces
2008-12 - Gesture workshop - Montreal
2011 - Writing workshop for artistic approach and exhibition projects - RAAV - Montreal
1996-98 - Atelier Plumelle - Montpellier - France
Awards and honors
2018 - 2nd prize TRAM Art Fair, Town of Mount Royal
2016 - Artist invited to the spring show of the association of painters of Longueuil, Longueuil
2015 - Mention - TRAM Art Fair, Town of Mount-Royal
2015 - Sponsors' Award, TRAM Art Fair, Town of Mont-Royal
2014 - Bronze medal - Contemporary Art Category - 30th International Sound and Light Visual Arts Gala, Montreal
2013 - 2nd prize in the non-figurative category - AAPARS fall competition exhibition
2013 - 3rd prize in Visual Art - Abstraction - Art & Jardins Symposium, Boucherville
2012 - Mention La Grande Distinction In distinct technique - 29th International Sound and Light Visual Arts Gala, Montreal
Jury
2016 - Expo-concours, AAPL, Jacques-Ferron Cultural Center, Longueuil
2016 - Exhibition competition, Halte des arts, Val des monts
Publications
2020 - "Journal d'un confinement, Extracts - What we say about ourselves" Collection of poems and paintings Montreal- ISBN 978-2-9816344-7-4
2020 - "Journal d'un confinement, Extracts - What we say about ourselves" Collection of poems and paintings
Montreal- ISBN 978-2-9816344-7-4
2019 - Artists for Peace Biennial - Exhibition catalog, Ecomusée du Fier Monde, Montreal
2019 - "From one ocean to another" - Collection of paintings and poems, Véronique Besançon - Montreal -ISBN 978-2-9816344-5-0
2018 - “I implore the moment not to leave me” - Collection of poems and paintings - Montreal- ISBN 978-2-9816344-4-3
2018 - "Marie and Véronique make an exhibition" - Exhibition catalog - Montreal - 978-2-9816344-3-6
20 18 - "Speak to me of love" - Catalog les impatients , Montreal
2017 - "I am the migrant traveler" Exhibition catalog - Montreal - ISBN 978-2-9816344-2-9
2017– “150 variations of metamorphoses”, Catalog of the 2016 autumn fair, museums of fine arts of Mont St Hilaire
2017- “I am…” Collection of paintings and poems, Véronique Besançon - ISBN 978-2-9816344-1-2
2017 - "Horizon" Works of art chosen by the public collection of Ville Mont Royal - ISBN978-2-9804727-64-9
2016 - “SelfieDeNous l'Exil” Collection of paintings and poems, Véronique Besançon - ISBN 978-2-9816344-0-5
2017 - "Speak to me about love" - Catalog
2017 - 2016 - Women in Art - Catalog, Curator Leda Maria, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New-York
2016 - “150 variations of water stories”, Catalog of the 2016 autumn fair, museums of fine arts of Mont St Hilaire
2016 - 15 - International Directory of Fine Arts - Art Diffusion
2015 - Artsy Shark Feed - Abstract Showcase
2014 - Bola Show - Catalog
2013 - Babill'AAPARS - 10th edition of the AAPARS fall exhibition-competition An unprecedented success! - Stéphane Bergeron
2013 - Get indignant! - Mile End Journal -
2013 - RueMasson.com - What do you say to yourself when you don't speak - Lisa Marie-Noël
2013 - Forum UdeM Nouvelles - Advisor and artist - Dominique Nancy