signed & dated lower right
Provenance: Galerie Simon Blais, Montreal QC; Masters Gallery, Calgary AB
Rita Letendre is one of Canada’s most distinguished, living abstract artists. She began her artistic training in the academic and traditional atmosphere of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montreal, quickly changing her path following a viewing, in 1950, of the art show “L’Exposition des Rebelles”. After leaving the conservative Ecole, Rita Letendre began showing small abstract works. In 1954, she was selected to participate in the final Automatiste exhibition coordinated by Paul-Emile Borduas, “La Matiere Chante”. Soon after, she participated in a touring exhibition with the Plasticiens, and had her first solo show at L’Echourie in Montreal. This was the beginning of a very long and productive career.
The 1950s were a formative period for Letendre, during which she was influenced not only by the Automatistes, but by Eastern philosophy and the American Abstract Expressionists. Her work transformed over the decades, from these early gestural works, to vibrant geometrical compositions, and canvases characterized by vigorous brushwork and contrast. In 2017 Rita Letendre was honoured with an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, “Fire and Light” which showcased work spanning her 70 year career.
