Untitled

This delightful pastel on paper by Jean Paul Lemieux was produced in the spirit of his oil on canvas titled Orion—included in the 1992–93 travelling retrospective L’effet Lemieux—and creates a fertile dialogue with its counterpart. Here, Lemieux freely explores the character’s attitude, clothing, and posture— in this case, as a looming figure in the snow under a starry sky. In both instances, the character’s androgynous features add to the enigma of the famous constellation; in Greek mythology, Orion was a great hunter. Formally stark, austere, with a simplified, expressive form, this work is the hallmark of a mature, well-recognized period in Lemieux’s career.