CCCA Canadian Art Database

Roland Poulin

Roland Poulin is a Canadian contemporary sculptor whose work is characterized by its horizontality and weightiness. He took the entrance exam to the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, but when he was refused, enrolled in evening classes at the school. After two years of study, he was accepted into the day class. He studied there from 1964 to 1969. After graduating in 1969, Poulin worked as an assistant to painter Mario Merola. In his own work, he chose sculpture as his medium. A 1972 trip to Germany introduced him to American Minimalism. Later, Poulin made visits to cemeteries in New England and Paris, as well as to an exhibition of Ancient Egyptian sarcophagi in New York. He found in these monuments an inspiration for his later sculptures. From 1973 to 1981, he taught at Université Laval in Quebec City and in the Visual Arts department at the University of Ottawa (1987–2005). In 1994, the National Gallery of Canada organized a retrospective of his works, and in 1999, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal organized another major exhibition. Poulin's career as a sculptor falls into two main periods. In the late 1970s, his work leaned towards American Minimalism. His sculptures had simple forms and were made of inexpensive industrial materials such as glass, plywood, wire mesh and reinforced concrete. Concrete was his choice for an important series organized around a central empty space, with individual titles such as Without (1979, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec). In the 1980s, he applied a metaphorical language to his work, derived from reading Hymns to the Night by the mystic poet Novalis and visiting Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. His dark-painted wood sculptures with their simple forms recall tombstones or coffins. In addition, Poulin used expressive titles such as Lamento and La Part de l'ombre (The Shadow Side) (1985–1986, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec). Later pieces, such as Thresholds (1993, National Gallery of Canada) are increasingly oriented towards the spiritual.
Creator Id: 484
Web Site Link: Web Site Link
Virtual Collection: Original CCCA
Country of Birth: Canada
Province of Birth: Ontario
Year of Birth: 1940
City: Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir
Country: Canada
Type of Creator: Artist
Gender: Male
Mediums: sculpture
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Work by Roland Poulin

En Présence

Work ID: 54873

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Le temps ralenti

Work ID: 54874

Measurements: 127 x 101.6 x 401.32 cm

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Lamento

Work ID: 54872

Measurements: 104.14 x 76.2 x 441.96 cm

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La Nuit Detoutes

Work ID: 54871

Measurements: 228.6 x 330.2 x 127 cm

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Sans titre

Work ID: 54870

Measurements: 26.67 x 26.67 x 16.51 cm

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Le miroir demeure opaque

Work ID: 54869

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Contraintes

Work ID: 54862

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Heurte, heurte à jamais

Work ID: 54867

Measurements: 149.86 x 149.86 x 281.94 cm

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Wood relief #16

Work ID: 54866

Measurements: 16.51 x 19.05 x 26.67 cm

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Wood relief #10

Work ID: 54865

Measurements: 16.51 x 24.13 x 16.51 cm

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Wood relief #9

Work ID: 54864

Measurements: 17.145 x 16.51 x 27.94 cm

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Venetie

Work ID: 54863

Measurements: 11.43 x 19.05 x 33.655 cm

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Sans titre

Work ID: 54859

Measurements: 157.48 x 139.7 cm

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Malgré la nuit #3

Work ID: 54858

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Malgré la nuit #2

Work ID: 54860

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Malgre la nuit #7

Work ID: 54861

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Déjà, la nuit s’avance #2

Work ID: 54857

Measurements: 5 x 8.5 x 15 feet

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Entailles #3

Work ID: 54856

Measurements: 207.01 x 134.62 cm

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Seuils #4

Work ID: 54855

Measurements: 127.635 x 163.83 cm

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Seuils #5

Work ID: 54850

Measurements: 127.635 x 163.83 cm

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Sans titre

Work ID: 54854

Measurements: 73.66 x 105.41 cm

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Axis Mundi, [detail]

Work ID: 54845

Measurements: 292 x 210 x 340 cm

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Axis Mundi

Work ID: 54844

Measurements: 292 x 210 x 340 cm

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Seuils #9

Work ID: 54853

Measurements: 127.635 x 163.83 cm

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Seuils #7

Work ID: 54851

Measurements: 127.635 x 163.83 cm

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Seuils #8

Work ID: 54852

Measurements: 127.635 x 163.83 cm

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Profil de l’ombre #4

Work ID: 54847

Measurements: 91.44 x 127 cm

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Sans titre

Work ID: 54846

Measurements: 91.44 x 127 cm

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Profil de l’ombre #6

Work ID: 54848

Measurements: 91.44 x 127 cm

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Profil de l’ombre 10

Work ID: 54849

Measurements: 91.44 x 127 cm

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Demeure #17

Work ID: 54843

Measurements: 11.43 x 20.32 x 25.4 cm/po

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Demeure

Work ID: 54835

Measurements: 15.875 x 22.225 x 17.145 cm

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Demeure #9

Work ID: 54836

Measurements: 15.24 x 17.78 x 32.385 cm/po

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Demeure #16

Work ID: 54842

Measurements: 20.32 x 25.4 x 24.13 cm/po

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Demeure #12

Work ID: 54839

Measurements: 16.51 x 33.02 x 17.78 cm/po

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Demeure #11

Work ID: 54838

Measurements: 18.415 x 12.7 x 30.48 cm/po

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Demeure #15

Work ID: 54841

Measurements: 19.685 x 19.685 x 27.94 cm/po

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Demeure #14

Work ID: 54840

Measurements: 12.7 x 33.655 x 19.685 cm/po

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Demeure #10

Work ID: 54837

Measurements: 22.86 x 16.51 x 31.75 cm/po

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