GRAFF 1966-1986. Aperçu historique

Historically, GRAFF has most often been identified as a print production organization, a center for design, publishing and research in the visual arts. It was not until the early 1980s that it became a contemporary art gallery, while still remaining true to its initial vocation as an engraving studio.

During its evolution, GRAFF has been an educator, a promoter and distributor of current art, and a publisher of prints and posters. In short, it has been an animator and has given itself the means to implement its own vision of art. It is undoubtedly for its exceptional activity and its influence that we wanted to retrace the history of a group of individuals who have shaped a portion of our cultural past.

If GRAFF has energetically branched out into so many spheres of the public arena, it is because it has entrusted its members with the task of expressing their diversity. As a testimony to this particular effervescence, we have tried in this exhibition to highlight the salient points of its history and we have chosen to present GRAFF through a chronological journey (from 1966 to 1986) then in addition, current events oblige, to draw up a representative overview of the current proposals presented at GRAFF.

During your visit, you will notice many connections between the University of Quebec at Montreal and GRAFF. This parallel has in a way been dictated by an observation; which allowed us to evoke the history of an era through the passage of graduates from a university institution (UQAM) and their access to a professional production environment such as GRAFF.

Supported by

This exhibition was produced with the support of the UQAM Foundation.