The L'Imagier Adventure, or Art as a Shared Pleasure

The early 1970s in Quebec was a time of flourishing communes. In the Outaouais, Pierre and Yvette Debain had a dream: they wanted to do everything in their power to create an appropriate venue for the region's artists and artisans and to introduce the public to contemporary art. With their friends Lise Godmer, Vladislav Ehlers and Caroline Sadowfska, they started up an artists' commune in a heritage home on Front Street, in Aylmer. Several live art workshops were organized. It was the very beginning of the L'Imagier adventure. At that point, what would later become L'Imagier Exhibition Centre was nothing but a barn next to the house.

In the winter of 1971, the roof of the barn caved in, under the weight of heavy snow. What at first seemed like a disaster was actually an opportunity. The dream at last became reality. They decided to use the wood from the old barn to build the present gallery. Pierre Debain worked out the plans. Patiently, over three years and with the help of volunteers, Pierre Debain, Marc Debain and Vladislav Ehlers devoted all their free time to the new structure. They rummaged through recyclable materials in a quest for appropriate doors, windows, floors, staircases and furniture. The gallery would be a work of art in itself, with its own roots, made of bits of history rescued from neglect and the wrecker's ball.*

1975. L'Imagier Gallery was born. It would become not only a beacon of contemporary art in the Outaouais, but a haven and centre for exchanges for local artists. Live art workshops were held. The first exhibitions showed works by Marc Debain, Lise Godmer, Vladislav Ehlers, Claude Benoît, Suzanne Joubert, Guy Laliberté and Vincent Théberge. The goal of each solo, group or thematic exhibition was to reflect contemporary regional artistic expression. With her training in art history, Yvette Debain made the gallery's program for children an essential tool, designed to share the joy of discovering art. Drawn by the children's enthusiasm, adults soon came as well. The Gallery hosted travelling exhibitions put on by the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. This gave L'Imagier a chance to exhibit works by Paul-Émile Borduas, Marcel Barbeau, Alfred Pellan, Jean-Paul Riopelle and Jean Dallaire.

In 1981, L'Imagier invited a group of artists to join in an exhibition celebrating the Summer Solstice. A tradition was born. This annual thematic exhibition would become a dynamic celebration of visual and performing arts. Visitors can admire the many artists' creations and take in free performances by musicians in or next to the gallery.

The year 1985 marked a turning point: at the Economic Summit, the Regional Council for Culture in the Outaouais recommended that the Gallery be accredited as an exhibition centre. L'Imagier was now connected to the Quebec Exhibition Centres network. The Gallery had not been eligible for government assistance before, but this accreditation changed its status and opened the door to Quebec government funding. The Gallery definitely had the wind in its sails.

In 1987, an agreement with the City of Aylmer-now Gatineau-allowed the adjacent lot to be converted into a park for concerts. Thus was born the Parc de l'Imaginaire, essentially an extension of the Gallery, a kind of open-air museum with its sculpture-benches and Japanese fountain. A gazebo provides a stage for musicians, dancers and actors during the summer months. Since 1987, with the support of the City of Gatineau and various partners, there have been approximately 360 live performances. Jazz, world music and performances for children have attracted more than 100,000 people from the Outaouais and other regions of Quebec.

Yvette Debain still deems it important to introduce children to visual arts, and so has collaborated with various elementary and secondary schools to create workshops where young people can explore all the potential of drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and printmaking. Between 1997 and 2004, more than 9,000 children took part in workshops. A new generation of artists has gradually and quietly been taking shape, one with an interest in contemporary art.

Since 1985, L'Imagier Exhibition Centre has continued to explore. In this era of globalization, the Gallery has encouraged national and international travelling exhibitions and in creating common ground for diverse cultural communities. Works by Canadian artists have been exhibited in Germany, Bulgaria, Bolivia, Cuba, the United States, France, Mexico and New Zealand. Over the years, L'Imagier has allowed visitors to enjoy hundreds of exhibitions featuring professional artists from the Outaouais and elsewhere.

The quality of L'Imagier's educational program has not gone unnoticed, either. In 2001, Director Yvette Debain received the Prix hommage from the City of Hull at the Culturiades gala, as well as the Reconnaissance Award from the City of Aylmer. In 2005, the City of Gatineau awarded her the Order of Gatineau. L'Imagier continues in its mandate of bringing culturally pertinent exhibitions and spectacular events to the community. The gallery and the park will continue to vibrate to the rhythms of artistic imagination for many years to come.