Danse dans la neige [Dance in the Snow]

1948-1977

Performance: Françoise Sullivan

Photographs: Maurice Perron

Silkscreen: Jean Paul Riopelle

 

Album comrpising 16 offset prints, 1 silkscreen, text (not on view)

 

Collection of the Musée d'art contemporain de Montreal

A 78 102 E 18

 

On February 28, 1948, Françoise Sullivan performed Danse dans la neige in Otterburn Park, near Montreal, at the home of Jean Paul and Françoise Riopelle. It was conceived as the second improvised dance in a cycle of four inspired by the seasons. All that remains of it is Maurice Perron's photographs; although the moment itself was filmed by Jean-Paul Riopelle, the only copy has been lost. Sullivan was unable to complete her season cycle at the time: Printemps which was to take place in Old Montreal, in the rain, and Automne, in the forest, would only be performed in 2007.

 

In 1977, Sullivan published an album commemorating the performance. A selection of sixteen photographs taken by Maurice Perron was accompanied by silkscreen by Jean Paul Riopelle and texts by Sullivan and two art historians, Fernande Saint-Martin and François-Marc Gagnon.

Done