Claude Gauvreau
Encyclopedia
Claude Gauvreau was a Quebec
playwright
, poet
and polemic
ist born in Montreal
.
Gauvreau did classical studies at the Collège Sainte-Marie, and graduated with a B.A in Philosophy
from Université de Montréal
.
He discovered modern art
through his brother Pierre
, who attended l'École des beaux-arts, and met painter Paul-Émile Borduas
, leader of Les Automatistes
. In 1947, he wrote his first play, Bien-être, with actress Muriel Guilbault, la muse incomparable, with whom he was deeply in love. He then became an unconditional advocate of the automatist movement, and, in 1948 signed Borduas' manifesto Refus Global
, which would become a key document of Quebec cultural history.
Following Muriel Guilbault's suicide, Gauvreau's fragile emotional stability caused him to be institutionalized ten times over eight years in Montreal psychiatric hospital Saint-Jean-de-Dieu. He continued to write, though. While working for the radio, between 1952 and 1969, he wrote several of his most notorious works, beginning with Beauté baroque (1952), a novel depicting the life of Muriel. In 1956, at a time where he believed he would die, he wrote what many consider to be his masterpiece, La charge de l'orignal épormyable. The play would not be performed until 1974, when it was presented at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. He also wrote, between 1956 and 1968, several collections of poems, including: Sur fil métamorphose (1956), Brochuges (1956), and Étal Mixte (1968).
In 1958, Janou Saint-Denis realized two of his short plays at École des beaux-arts: La jeune fille et la lune and Les grappes lucides. He then wrote his masterpiece, Les oranges sont vertes, which would be presented at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in 1972.
On March 27, 1970, he participated to La Nuit de la poésie, the greatest festival of the word that has ever taken place in Quebec. On July 7, 1971, Gauvreau fell to his death from the roof of his building. While some considered his death to be a suicide, the coroner ruled the death accidental.
The art of Claude Gauvreau was revolutionary for its time. He deconstructed and reconstructed vocabulary, creating the explorean language, tearing to pieces the leading clerical, choking, ideology of Quebec of the Fifties
.
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....
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and polemic
Polemic
A polemic is a variety of arguments or controversies made against one opinion, doctrine, or person. Other variations of argument are debate and discussion...
ist born 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...
.
Gauvreau did classical studies at the Collège Sainte-Marie, and graduated with a B.A in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
.
He discovered modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
through his brother Pierre
Pierre Gauvreau
Pierre Gauvreau was a Québécois painter who has also worked in film and television productions.He was born in Montreal, and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, today part of UQAM...
, who attended l'École des beaux-arts, and met painter Paul-Émile Borduas
Paul-Émile Borduas
Paul-Émile Borduas was a Canadian painter known for his abstract paintings. He was also an activist for the separation of church and state, especially for art, in Quebec.- Biography :...
, leader of Les Automatistes
Les Automatistes
Les Automatistes were a group of Québécois artistic dissidents from Montreal, Quebec. The movement was founded in the early 1940s by painter Paul-Émile Borduas. "Les Automatistes" were so called because they were influenced by Surrealism and its theory of automatism...
. In 1947, he wrote his first play, Bien-être, with actress Muriel Guilbault, la muse incomparable, with whom he was deeply in love. He then became an unconditional advocate of the automatist movement, and, in 1948 signed Borduas' manifesto Refus Global
Refus Global
Le Refus global, or Total Refusal, was an anti-establishment and anti-religious manifesto released on August 9, 1948 in Montreal by a group of sixteen young Québécois artists and intellectuals that included Paul-Émile Borduas and Jean-Paul Riopelle....
, which would become a key document of Quebec cultural history.
Following Muriel Guilbault's suicide, Gauvreau's fragile emotional stability caused him to be institutionalized ten times over eight years in Montreal psychiatric hospital Saint-Jean-de-Dieu. He continued to write, though. While working for the radio, between 1952 and 1969, he wrote several of his most notorious works, beginning with Beauté baroque (1952), a novel depicting the life of Muriel. In 1956, at a time where he believed he would die, he wrote what many consider to be his masterpiece, La charge de l'orignal épormyable. The play would not be performed until 1974, when it was presented at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. He also wrote, between 1956 and 1968, several collections of poems, including: Sur fil métamorphose (1956), Brochuges (1956), and Étal Mixte (1968).
In 1958, Janou Saint-Denis realized two of his short plays at École des beaux-arts: La jeune fille et la lune and Les grappes lucides. He then wrote his masterpiece, Les oranges sont vertes, which would be presented at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in 1972.
On March 27, 1970, he participated to La Nuit de la poésie, the greatest festival of the word that has ever taken place in Quebec. On July 7, 1971, Gauvreau fell to his death from the roof of his building. While some considered his death to be a suicide, the coroner ruled the death accidental.
The art of Claude Gauvreau was revolutionary for its time. He deconstructed and reconstructed vocabulary, creating the explorean language, tearing to pieces the leading clerical, choking, ideology of Quebec of the Fifties
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
.
Works
- Les entrailles
- Beauté baroque
- La charge de l'orignal épormyable
- Le rose enfer des animaux
- Les oranges sont vertes
- L'asile de la pureté