signed, titled, dated & editioned
Literature: “Joe Fafard” (Terrence Heath; Douglas & McIntyre; 2008)
During the 1990’s Fafard grew more interested in experimentation and innovation. He became fascinated by relief sculpture, and flat forms. During this time, Fafard created a number of laser-cut steel pieces that were an extension of his “drawing in space” work, where free-standing figures of cows and horses were cut out and manipulated using a three-dimensional approach, ultimately resembling a line drawing. The resulting effect seemed to integrate elements of both printmaking and sculpture.
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts mounted an extensive retrospective of Joe Fafard’s work in 1996. In 2007, Fafard was again honoured with a retrospective exhibition organized by the MacKenzie Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Canada. The artist passed away recently, leaving behind an important body of work that spans more than half a century. Fafard’s focus on prairie imagery, and success on a national and international stage, has been instrumental in raising Saskatchewan’s artistic profile.
