The Contemporary Arts Society was founded by John Lyman in 1939 to promote

modern art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradi ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

, at a time when

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

was dominated by

academic art Academic art, or academicism or academism, is a style of painting and sculpture produced under the influence of European academies of art. Specifically, academic art is the art and artists influenced by the standards of the French Académie d ...

. Lyman was the Society's first president. The additional officers were vice-president

Paul-Émile Borduas Paul-Émile Borduas (November 1, 1905 – February 22, 1960) was a Québecois artist known for his abstract paintings. He was the leader of the avant-garde Automatiste movement and the chief author of the Refus Global manifesto of 1948. Bord ...

, secretary Fritz Brandtner, and treasurer

Philip Surrey Philip Surrey LL. D. (1910-1990) was a Canadian artist known for his figurative scenes of Montreal. A founding member of the Contemporary Arts Society, and Montreal Men's Press Club (now Montreal Press Club), Surrey was part of Montreal’s cult ...

. The Society lasted until 1948.

Early membership

Early members included Alexandre Bercovitch,

, Simone Mary Bouchard, Stanley Cosgrove,

Louise Landry Gadbois Louise Landry Gadbois (27 November 1896 – 10 August 1985) was a Canadian painter associated with the Contemporary Arts Society in Montreal. She is known for her portraiture. Biography Marie Marguerite Louise Gadbois was born in 1896 in Montrea ...

, Eric Goldberg,

Jack Humphrey Jack Weldon Humphrey (12 January 1901 – 23 March 1967) was a Canadian landscape and figure painter, mainly in watercolour. Art historian J. Russell Harper called him the "most significant eastern Canadian painter of his generation". Biograph ...

John Goodwin Lyman John Goodwin Lyman (September 29, 1886 – May 26, 1967) was an American-born Canadian modernist painter active largely in Montreal, Quebec. In the 1930s he did much to promote modern art in Canada, founding the Contemporary Art Society in 1939. ...

Louis Muhlstock Louis Muhlstock, LL.D. (April 23, 1904 August 26, 2001) was a Canadian painter best known for his depictions of the Great Depression and for landscapes and urban scenes in and around Montreal. Career Born in Narajów, Galicia, Austria-Hungar ...

Alfred Pellan Alfred Pellan (born Alfred Pelland; 16 May 1906 – 31 October 1988) was an important figure in twentieth-century Canadian painting. Biography Alfred Pelland was born in Quebec City on 16 May 1906. His mother, Régina Damphousse, died when ...

Goodridge Roberts William Goodridge Roberts (1904–1974) was a Canadian painter known for his landscape paintings, still lifes, figure paintings and interiors. He was also a teacher. Career Goodridge Roberts was the son of poet and novelist George Edward Theod ...

Jori Smith Marjorie "Jori" Smith, (January 1, 1907 – November 25, 2005) was a key figure in the 1930s in initiating Canada's modernist art movement. She was a founding member of the Contemporary Arts Society in 1939. Biography Smith was born in Montreal, ...

, and

Moe Reinblatt Moses Reinblatt (June 20, 1917 – August 24, 1979) was a Canadian painter, printmaker, sculptor, and art teacher. He was associated with the Jewish Painters of Montreal. Biography Moe Reinblatt was born in Montreal to Jewish parents Manya (, 19 ...

was included later. The Society had up to 62 members: artists, but also collectors and art professionals, such as historian and critic Maurice Gagnon.

External links

The Canadian encyclopedia - Entry "Contemporary Arts Society"

References

Culture of Montreal Canadian contemporary art {{art-org-stub