Marie-Alice Dumont (1892–1985) is recognized as one of the first professional women photographers in Quebec. She maintained her studio in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska for more than three decades, between 1926 and 1961, demonstrating a stability and longevity rarely seen among women photographers in Quebec and Canada. The exhibition will feature a selection of photographs from the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent's collection of nearly 10,000 negatives.
Highlighting the personal and professional trajectory of Marie-Alice Dumont, this exhibition will enable visitors to discover this photographer's important body of work in dialogue with that of photographer Raymonde April.
Prior to the exhibition, Raymonde April was invited to carry out a research-creation residency, the results of which will be presented as part of the exhibition. April's documentary yet intimate approach resonates with the work of Marie-Alice Dumont.
Curator: Oriane A.-Van Coppenolle
Biographies
Raymonde April
Born in Moncton in 1953, Raymonde April grew up in Rivière-du-Loup. Since the late 1970s, she has been recognized for her practice, inspired by the day-to-day and situated at the junction of documentary, autobiography and fiction. Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010, she is also the recipient of Quebec’s highest distinction for the visual arts, the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas (2003). For nearly fifty years, April’s work has been shown in numerous solo exhibitions in Quebec and abroad. Recent solo shows include Raymonde April: A Portrait in Time, a virtual exhibition at the Portrait Gallery of Canada in 2024. April’s work is represented in major Canadian public collections and many private collections.
Oriane A. Van Coppenolle
With a Master of Art History degree (UQAM), Oriane A. Van Coppenolle has been curator at the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent since 2018, where she oversees collections and programming. She has co-curated numerous temporary and travelling exhibitions, including Rita Letendre. Lines of Strength, which won the award for excellence from the Société des musées du Québec in 2022. Her curatorial approach focuses on contemporary artistic practices through a feminist perspective. She has also served as visual arts specialist for the art and architecture integration program under the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (2019–2024) and has been a member of the board of Culture Bas-Saint-Laurent since 2019.
Partners
This exhibition is produced by the Musée du Bas-Saint-Laurent.
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada.
