We were incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of revolutionary artist Rita Letendre

“I wanted to create a new world, and if you have a world, it has to have poetry.” – Rita Letendre

Born in Drummondville, Quebec to Abenaki and Québécois parents in 1928, Rita Letendre began painting in 1950s Montreal. Renowned for her bold and visceral style, she pushed the boundaries of colour, light and space to new heights. Letendre used the paintbrush, airbrush, palette knife and her hands to express the spirit of life. Her work embodies her ongoing quest for connection and understanding.

In 2017, the Gallery celebrated Letendre’s vibrant career with a retrospective titled Rita Letendre: Fire & Light.

There’s a beautiful article that commemorates Letendre’s life’s work in her own words in this week’s AGOinsider.