A unique olfactory experience linked to Homage to Rosa Luxemburg
QUÉBEC CITY, Jan. 30, 2023 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of its ongoing quest for innovation and daring museum experiences, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) is proud to join forces with internationally renowned wine steward François Chartier and his teams at Chartier World LAB (CWL) to design a unique olfactory experience linked to Jean Paul Riopelle's monumental fresco Homage to Rosa Luxemburg.
Installed at the top of the future Riopelle Space at the MNBAQ, "La Rosa," as François Chartier has nicknamed the work, will undoubtedly be a highlight of the pavilion, slated to open in late 2025 or early 2026, since while contemplating this masterly triptych, "viewers can go beyond what they see and feel and experience the work otherwise by immersing themselves in the wonderful word of aromas," a delighted Jean-Luc Murray, Director General of the MNBAQ, noted.
A masterpiece sublimated through aromas
This special MNBAQ project has been carried out through the Incubateur d'innovations muséales, funded by the Secrétariat à la Capitale-Nationale. It will propose to the public a distinctive adventure in the new building dedicated to Riopelle's work. The tailor-made aromatic experience will encompass both the spirt of the site and Riopelle's vision, i.e., to create a strong link between art, nature, the senses (including aromas), and emotions. Homage to Rosa Luxemburg is a work that must be felt, not intellectualized, which is what Riopelle wanted," Jean-Luc Murray added. "Aromas exercise a unique evocative power," François Chartier added enthusiastically.
A novel system
On the strength of his experience with the Musée Picasso Barcelona in Spain and the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in Canada, the aroma specialist and his teams from CWL will collaborate closely with architectural firm fabg, which designed the Riopelle Space, and Eve-Lyne Beaudry, a designer and Curator of Contemporary Art (1950-2000) at the MNBAQ, to incorporate their permanent aromatic creation into the future building.
A special link between Chartier and Riopelle
When he was a young wine steward at the mythical Bistro à Champlain, François Chartier knew Riopelle well. What is more, he intends to apply his aromatic science of molecular harmony to decode the triptych that Riopelle created in 1992 following the death of the celebrated American painter Joan Mitchell, who shared his life for 24 years.
To grasp the quintessence of Riopelle's work, François Chartier did not hesitate to visit the artist's studio in the Laurentians to collect paint, oil, and aerosol samples. Nature will undoubtedly be added to this promising exploratory avenue. "The key purpose of aromas is to create the imaginative world by breaking the link between the visible and the invisible. This is an outstanding way to encourage individuals to create images," François Chartier added.
Odour becomes a sort of time machine that allows us to grasp the essence of a place. Riopelle enjoyed this admirable gift, which imbued his creations in a voyage that melds art and aromas.
Chartier World LAB in a nutshell
The Chartier World LAB (CWL), a research and creation centre, is in fact a disruptive, multidisciplinary, inclusive laboratory based on the aromatic science of molecular harmony. After 30 years of nomad LAB in 30 countries, in 2020 François Chartier co-founded with his wife and associate, wine steward Isabelle Moren, and their project director, wine steward Nicolas Roché, World LAB Barcelona, the parent company of several branches under development in Tokyo and Quebec City.
https://francoischartier.ca/ 
The Incubateur d'innovations muséales in a nutshell
The Incubateur d'innovations muséales comprises the two Québec government museums in Québec City, i.e., the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and the Musée de la civilisation. The Secrétariat à la Capitale-Nationale supports the Incubateur d'innovations muséales, which seeks to serve as a hub for experimentation and a development tool that enables both institutions to foster innovation in their teams. It is the only incubator of its kind in the world and stems from the pooling of expertise and the creativity of the two museums and the contribution of an extensive network of partners. It promotes the emergence of original proposals that are likely to transform the practices of museum teams and visitors' experiences.
François Chartier, founder of Chartier World LAB, Annie Bérubé, Head of Special Projects, MNBAQ, and Eve- Lyne Beaudry, Curator of Contemporary Art (1950-2000), MNBAQ, are available for interviews. |
The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec is a state corporation funded by the Gouvernement du Québec.
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