Moreau, Roussil art diverse, yet complementary
Danielle Moreau and her husband Robert Roussil, who has sadly passed on, could rightfully be regarded as giants of the art world. That is the general impression most visitors seemed to be feeling when walking through the large doors of Galerie Art Plus, which is currently putting on an impressive display of both artists’ work.
Moreau flew all the way from her house in Tourrettes-sur-Loup in southeastern France to admire the exhibition. Having been immersed in the world of tapestry making, Moreau finally decided to make some of her own after raising a family.
“Robert was always the artist, first and foremost,” said Moreau, sitting on the church bench facing her tapestries, which look subdued compared to Roussil’s rather loud and vibrant artwork. “But when I decided to make tapestries, I realized that I could do it and that there is a demand for it,” said Moreau, who had been putting artwork off for 35 years. That said, tapestry making is slowly becoming less popular these days. “I put together an association of tapestry makers of 12 artists, but even then it wasn’t enough,” said Moreau. For some admirers, tapestry making is a dying art.
Moreau’s tapestries are rich, beautiful, and almost sensual. When it comes to color palettes, she uses mostly earth tones such as ochre and sienna. Whereas some are mostly geometrical in design, other tapestries bring more circular, playful shapes to life. Take Syndrome d’Icare, 100 by 72 cm, which explores danger and adventure with bright oranges and reds against a backdrop of earth yellow. By contrast, Blanc-Noir, 200 by 90 cm, is an imposing tapestry of large, geometrical black and white shapes inspired by one of Roussil’s drawings.
“We worked a lot together,” said Moreau, who remembers her husband fondly as a man unafraid to voice his feelings and to express himself, no matter what it took.
As for Roussil... his artwork is another matter entirely. Having made monumental sculptures for years, Roussil turned to theatre prop paper as a material in the latter part of his life, focusing on the human body. At the gallery, long pieces of paper are painted over with intermingling bodies, painted in primal colours. Many paintings feature bold turquoises and fire truck red colours. The bodies are often skeletal, unrecognizable, unsettling in many ways, but in some sense that is precisely what draws the eye to the artwork in the first place. Other bodies are more human looking. One painting Roussil lovingly dubbed “La Pitoune” (Hot Girl) features a beautiful girl with long hair, her body extensions leading to numerous hands and feet painted in gold, presenting a striking contrast to the black and blue background. Moreau took her time gazing at that project. “Robert was nearing the end of his life when he painted that,” she said. According to Moreau, the many hands and feet represented the future he knew he could not have.
It could be said that Roussil excels at bringing people out of their comfort zone. Back in 1949, Roussil caused a huge controversy by erecting his monumental sculpture titled “The Family.” The artwork, deemed obscene, was put away and Roussil lost his position as teacher. (But triumph was at hand — years later in 2011 — when the sculpture was put back on display in Montreal).
Roussil was also somewhat of a political figure. In 1953, Roussil brought together more than 80 artists at the “Place des Exposants” with the help of Fernand Leduc. At this organization, Roussil’s sculpture titled “Hommage à Mao (La Paix),” which can be loosely translated as “Hommage to Mao, Peace,” once again raised eyebrows. But Roussil was never a man who feared ruffling feathers. Online pictures depict Roussil with a full beard and a proud stance, often leaning against one of his newly achieved monuments. According to Moreau, her husband could never stop working. “He’d always be on the lookout for something new, for the next challenge,” recalled Moreau with a small smile. In contrast to Roussil, Moreau is petite and soft-spoken. She cut quite a figure at the vernissage with her smart clothes and gentle smile. But one thing is clear: the couple was very close. “We were together for 54 years,” said Moreau quietly. “I still feel him around the house.”
When asked why she likes doing art, Moreau waxed philosophical. “I think that artists can be rather selfish, in a way,” she said. “I explore, I think, I reflect... for myself. Of course, art always offers something to visitors, but in the end I am doing art for myself.”
Walking through the gallery, it be- comes evident that the sharp — dare we say extreme— contrast between the artwork of Roussil and Moreau may be what makes it work, prima facie. The gallery offers a well-balanced approach to Roussil’s eccentric, intertwined bodies and Moreau’s hushed tones. Yes, Roussil and Moreau’s art differs widely, but they complement each other in a subtle, yet fragile way.
The exhibit will be on display until August 31. Galerie Art Plus is open Thursdays to Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The art gallery is located at 8 rue Maple in Sutton.