Additional Images

Provenance:

Private Collection, Toronto

Literature:

Melanie Authier. National Gallery of Canada Artist Interview: Melanie Authier. Dec. 21, 2012. Accessed July 30, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lLtzD5kLoo_

Note:

Melanie Authier’s paintings are spirited arrangements of conflicting elements that appeal to each viewer in a unique way. Some are drawn to the extreme ranges of dynamic colour, while others gravitate toward the controlled chaos of shapes always present in her work. Inspired by the scope of reactions to her painting, Authier creates with the intent of awakening her audience to the complexities of abstract art while retaining a sense of “playfulness.” She says, “With all of my works the attempt and goal is always to combine various visual contradictions into one imaginary space...I’m interested in creating these visual contrasts through a negotiation of oppositions.”

Catapult on Standby (2010) (lot 52) is a large-scale example of Authier’s dynamic composition. The soft tonal quality of the work is inviting and full of movement, while the lush colours of Perch (2007) add an increased energy and vibrancy to the canvas. In both paintings the viewer becomes absorbed in the creative depth of the work as Authier invites us to explore her built environment.

Authier received a BFA from Concordia University (Montréal) in 2002 and completed her MFA at the University of Guelph in 2006. She has received several grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Authier was awarded with an honourable mention at the RBC Canadian Painting Competition in 2007. Her work is represented in many corporate, private and institutional collections.