1955

New York: 1955

Winter

Takes part in the Three Canadian Painters exhibition held at the Phillips Gallery in Washington, D.C. Borduas shows Sous le vent de l'île, 1947 (Gagnon, 1978, p. 492; 1988, p. 473).

January 10 - February 5

Exhibition of works by Paul-Émile Borduas, Water-Colors 1954, at the Passedoit Gallery of New York, (Écrits I, p. 41; Gagnon, 1978, p. 492). Twenty water colours are shown:

1. Baisers perdus, (1954?)
2. La Guignolée, 1954
3. Dentelle métallique, 1954
4. Blanches figures, 1954
5. La Légende du hibou, 1954
6. Équivalence additionnée de rouge, (1954?)
7. L'Accolade, 1954
8. Fontaine envahie, 1954
9. Figure cabalistique, 1954
10. Baraka, 1954
11. Groupement d'aiguilles, 1954
12. Skieurs en suspens, 1954
13. Les Baguettes joyeuses, 1954
14. Buisson, 1954
15. Fête embrouillée, 1954
16. Silence indien, 1954
17. Ils étaient deux, 1954
18. Membranules, 195
19. Éclaboussure, 1954
20. Pénétration, 1954

February 11 - 28

Espace 55 exhibition, organized by Gilles Corbeil, shows at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Artists included in the exhibition are Comtois, Dupras, Émond, Ewen, Gauvreau, Lajoie, Leduc, Letendre, McEwen, Molinari and Mousseau (Écrits I, p. 41).

February 19 - 22

Short stay in Montreal for the Espace 55 exhibition, (Écrits I, p. 41).

February 20

Interview with Gilles Corbeil on the radio show Tribune des arts et des lettres, heard on Radio-Canada; Borduas criticizes the Espace 55 exhibition (recording not found) (Écrits I, p. 41).

February 26

Participates in the Four Man Show exhibition (Bush, de Tonnancour, Cohen and Borduas) held at the Williams Memorial Art Museum, in London, Ontario (Gagnon, 1978, p. 492); Borduas exhibits:

Mirage dans la plaine, 1954
Trophées d'une ancienne victoire, 1954
Fanfare débordante, 1954
Pâte métallique, 1954
Les Arènes de Lutèce, 195
Cascade d'automne, 1954

He sends the text Objectivation ultime ou délirante to L'Autorité (Saint-Hyacinthe) (Écrits I, p. 41), where it is published on March 12 (Boily 1972, p. 324).

February 28

Conflict between Borduas and the other artists in the Espace 55 exhibition is noted in L'Autorité du peuple (Écrits I, p. 42).

March 15 - April 15

Oil works and ink works by Riopelle at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York; Borduas visits the exhibition on April 1 (Écrits I, p. 42).

April 12 - 22

The Six New Paintings by Borduas exhibition at the Picture Loan Society in Toronto (Écrits I, p. 42) shows the same paintings that were in the London exhibition held in February1955 (Gagnon, 1978, p. 493.

April 21

Departure for Montreal (Écrits I, p. 42).

May - June

Participates in the first Biennal Exhibition of Canadian Painting, held at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa (Écrits I, p.42). Borduas shows Bonaventure, 1954, (Gagnon, 1978, p. 493). The exhibition will travel to Regina in September; Edmonton in October; Saskatoon in November; Winnipeg in November and December; to Vancouver in December 1955-January 1956; Calgary in February; Quebec City in March; Sackville (N.S.), in April; Halifax, April; Saint John, in May; London, in June - July and Sackville (N.B.) in August 1956, (Gagnon, 1988, p. 471).

May 4 - June 12

Participates in the International Watercolor Exhibition 18th Biennal 1955 at the Brooklyn Museum (Écrits I, p. 42): shows La Grille impatiente, 1954, (Gagnon, 1978, p. 493).

June

Participates in the 3rd Biennal of the Museu de Arte Moderna of São Paulo (Écrits I, p. 42; Gagnon, 1978, p. 493); his paintings exhibited in the Canadian section are:

1. Réception d'automne, 1953
1. Fragments de planète, 1953
2. Résistance végétale, 1954
3. Pulsation,1954
4. Fête nautique,1955
5. Bourdonnement d'été, 1955
6. Tendresse des gris, 1955
7. Forêt métallique, 1955
8. Les Voiles rouges, 1955
9. Jardin impénétrable, 1955
10. Végétation minérale, 1955
12. Persistance des noirs, 1955

June 16

Death of Ozias Leduc (Écrits I, p. 42).

June 17 - July 10

Takes part in the exhibition organized in honour of the 10th anniversary of the United Nations held at the San Francisco Museum of Art (Écrits I, p. 42); he exhibits Morning candelabra (Lampadaire du matin), 1948, (Gagnon, 1978, p. 493).

July

Participates in Exhibition held at the Stratford Municipal Arena in Stratford (Ont.) (Gagnon, 1988, p. 472).

July

Participates in the international exhibition held the Athénée of Valencia, in Venezuela (Écrits I, p. 42). He shows Froissements délicats, 1955, (Gagnon 1978, p. 493).

July 17

Starts his contract with the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York (Écrits I, p. 42).

August

Stays in Montreal before leaving for Paris (Boily 1972, p. 325).