Come Meet Contemporary Master René Lalonde at Martin Lawrence Galleries

 

Come Meet Contemporary Master René Lalonde at Martin Lawrence Galleries located in the Woodfield Mall for his exhibition of “Wintertime with Lalonde”

The brilliant work and vision of Rene Lalonde has rightfully earned and enjoyed the support of thousands of collectors for many, many years. And now, Martin Lawrence Galleries (MLG) is proud to offer an exhibition of brand-new works covering a broad range of Lalonde subjects – enchanting homes in fantasy locations, inviting shops, exuberant abstract compositions in brilliant colors, relaxing fishbowls by moonlit windows, and more. Lalonde’s work enchants, delights and brings a smile to the viewer’s face.

“The primary goal for me is to create images with one idea in mind – to bring a sense of pleasure to the viewer, whether it is peace or joy or stillness. Doing that in these stressful times, creating places where people can go and hide from a crazy world is the most important thing I can accomplish as an artist.” - René Lalonde

Lalonde is a risk-taker – an artistic force unphased by norms of society and born out of a culture and period of rebellion. Glancing upon one of his paintings produces a magical response – his boldness in combining paradoxical styles and influences succeeds to an extraordinary degree. The saying goes that opposites attract, but here they join forces to create a unique and unmatched experience for the viewer. Lalonde’s gift is to make the complex accessible. He lives and works without fear, and his experimentation is the key to his genius.

About René Lalonde
Blending the traditions of surrealism, Cubism, and Fauvism, the artwork of René Lalonde approaches us with both the emotional force of vivid and unusual color and the simplicity of flattened out planes, bringing the everyday to life with extraordinary intensity. Though his works are vibrant and intense, they somehow project a sense of calm, serenity, and at times easygoing buoyancy, leaving us wondering as to the nature of this paradoxical effect.

Lalonde was born in Montreal in 1950, the oldest of four children in a working-class family. He was drawn to the arts at an early age and bought his first serious set of paints, brushes, and canvases at age 12. He proved graced with a fertile imagination, which flourished during his time spent at boarding school, a confining though ultimately inspiring environment. As the tumultuous 1960s unfolded, Lalonde was swept up in the excitement of rock and roll, the Beatles, and what was to become known as the “British Invasion.” The artistic movements spawned in the psychedelic revolution particularly drew Lalonde, leading him to the works of surrealists like Magritte, Dali, and Ernst as he explored his creative drive.

Traces of this influence can be seen in the paradoxical effect of Lalonde’s works and the sometimes-startling juxtapositions of objects and elements. Lalonde also admired Warhol and Lichtenstein’s work, as we can see in his focus on everyday subjects. Peter Max’s psychedelic posters, all the rage during his teens, ultimately influenced his later-developed fauvist approach with an at-times acid range of color values.

Lalonde began to create and sell his paintings and in 1967, was invited to present his work at a Montreal gallery— his first solo exhibition. It was a resounding success, encouraging him to continue with his artistic development. At the age of 19, he was admitted into L’Ecole du Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, a school attached to the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts. He anticipated learning new techniques and new art forms but left after a year, disillusioned by the way the courses were conducted. Instead, he continued to paint for himself and began working with an art book publisher. There he discovered Picasso’s late Cubism, with its more recognizable forms, and the color and infused light of Parrish and Chagall. To date, his career includes over 175 solo exhibits worldwide.

Saturday, January 25th 6:00 – 8:00pm
Martin Lawrence Galleries
Schaumburg, IL 60173
[email protected]