Guido Molinari

"With monochrome painting...the idiosyncrasy of the work, its difference, its expression, lies in shape". Guido Molinari was born October 12th, 1933 in Montreal. He studied at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for a brief period from 1950-1951, exhibiting in his first show in L’Echourie restaurant during 1953. Three years later he had his first solo exhibition in the United States and began to produce pieces that combined automatic methods with an orderly approach. Considered to be one of Canada's leading modern artists, Molinari's work is known for its focus on modular and contrasting colours, shapes and lines. Molinari was very well known for painting colourful hard-edged bands with the bright colours shifting into darker colours or shades to create vibrant geometric shapes. In 1956 Molinari became an established member for the alliance des artistes non-figuratifs de Montreal and in 1968 Molinari appeared within Biennale in Venice, where he was awarded the David E. Bright Foundation prize. After taking part in in the Pairs Biennale in 1977, Molinari was given the prize of the Paul-Emile Borduas by the Government of Quebec. In 1989 The Vancouver Art Gallery organized the Guido Molinari exhibition, Peintures en noir et blanc, which toured the country to great acclaim. Guido Molinari passed away in the year 2004 on February 21st in Montreal. His works can be found in collections throughout North America, from the National Gallery of Canada to the Museum of Modern Art in New York.