Abstraction and the Inspiration of Nature through the art of Jean Paul Riopelle

Jean Paul Riopelle (1923–2002) is one of the most celebrated and influential artists in the history of modern painting, and his unique approach to abstraction was foundational in establishing Quebec’s contributions to modernism. As part of the celebrations being developed by the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation to mark the centennial of the artist’s birth in 2023, this guide invites students to take up Riopelle’s call to “go towards nature,” one of the primary sources of inspiration for his abstract work, and to explore the ways in which knowledge of the natural world in Canada—including its wildlife, its habitats, and its endless motifs—offers a creative foundation for understanding how to make art in an abstract way.