Canadian artist, Erik Slutsky, has for decades expressed his unique perception of contemporary society through many art forms. Though he is most widely known today as a painter, he has also been a musician, photographer and writer.
Presently based in Montreal, this self-taught artist also spent a year at the École des Beaux-Arts in Aix-en-Provence, France and several months at the Art Students League in New York City, working with a number of respected artists. He also holds a Masters degree in Art Education from McGill University.
He began his professional painting career at the prestigious Dominion Gallery in Montreal where as an inexperienced young artist he was taken under the wing of the owner, Dr. Stern. It was from this gallery where he made his first sales. This was followed by a long-term association with the Elca London Gallery. Here his work was introduced and sold to international collectors in Switzerland, England, France, Germany and the United States.
Since then he has had more than 50 exhibitions on 3 continents. Today his work is found in private, public and corporate collections around the globe. Reproductions of his images illustrate many books, magazines, newspapers, posters and websites.
Erik Slutsky has continued to share his passion for art with the hundreds of students he has taught, young and old, throughout his career.
"Sensible au monde, à sa complexité, il cherche à traduire dans un langage qui lui est propre, le besoin de nous sensibiliser à certains sentiments cosmiques qui nous habitent, que ce soit la joie, l'ennui, l'angoisse. En recherchant l'existant brut, en combattant ce qui n'est qu'apparence, il donne de l'extension aux voies de l'intériorité". *
* Une énergie a toute épreuve, écrit par Andrée Paradis. Vie des Arts, vol. 29, #118
English translation:
"Sensible to the world, to its complexity, he seeks to translate in his own language the need to sensitize ourselves to certain cosmic feelings that we Harbour, be it joy, boredom, panic. In seeking existence in its pure form,in struggling against what is only appearance, he gives extension to the paths of interiority".
Artist Statement
Life is a series of moments made up of thoughts, feelings, emotions, experiences, real and imagined. They exist for a moment and then they become the past, memories, our own and our collective histories. This is where I seek my materials.
Our imagination is like a living dream, arising from the treasure box of our inner selves. When it's expressed in any form, it can become a work of art. This is how I create my work.
My paintings tell a story; mine and yours. The actual elements used are only the surface of the canvas, painted lines, forms, colours and shapes. And yet, it becomes something different, something greater when you add imagination, experience, talent and personal expression. Then a work of art is created.
These stories I tell are an expression of the wonder, love, fear, passion and sometimes, even the confusion I feel for this world and our own lives here. The paintings have lots of questions and the answers you'll have to find for yourselves.
Some will find these paintings resonate within them. If you feel moved, then you've understood what I'm trying to say.
My work tells the tale of our lives; a story of love, justice, compassion, beauty, contentment and wonder. But life can also be a tale of hate, destruction, fear, social inequality and religious divisions. These are are also subjects I deal with.
Exhibitions
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 Galerie du Viaduc, Montreal
2018 Park Avenue Gallery, Montreal
2014 Galerie D, Montreal, Canada
2013 Espace POP, Montreal, Canada
2010 Galerie d’Espace, Montreal, Canada
2008 Albion Art Gallery, Mississauga, Canada
2006 Gora Gallery, Montreal, Canada
2005 Galerie Da Machina, Pointe Claire, Canada
2005 Centre Da Vinci, St. Leonard, Canada
2003 Galerie Bernard, Montreal, Canada
2000 Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Canada
1996 Independent Gallery Space, (artist run show), Montreal, Canada
1992 Galerie Arts Sutton, Sutton, Quebec, Canada
1987 Alex Gallery, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
1986 Hoffman Gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany
1985 Elca London Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1985 Paul-Klee Gallery, Gerstoffen, Germany
1984 Dresdner Bank, Munich, Germany
1981 Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Canada
1979 Caisse Pop. D’Outremont, Montreal, Canada
1978 Lyghtsome Gallery, Antigonish, N.S., Canada
1977 Desbrisay Museum, Lunenberg, N.S., Canada
1977 Bridgewater exhibition Centre, N.S., Canada
1976 Cobblestone Gallery, New York, U.S.A
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 Soho Galleries, Mérida, Mexico
2021 Galerie du Viaduc, Montreal
2018 Park Avenue Gallery, Montreal
2014 Galerie D, Montreal, Montreal, Canada
2005-09 Albion Art Gallery, Mississauga, Canada
2001-05 Galerie d’Arts Contemporains, Montreal, Canada
2002-05 Galerie Bernard, Montreal, Canada
2002 Musée des Beaux Arts à Montréal, Art Sales and Rental
2001 Galerie Bernard, Montreal, Canada, (invitational)
2000 Galerie Schorer, Montreal, Canada
2000 Nathan D. Rosen Museum, Boca Raton, Fl., U.S.A. (juried)
1999 West End Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1998 Galerie D’Avignon, Montreal, Canada
1998 Saidye Bronfman Centre, Faculty Exhibition, Montreal, Canada
1998 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Entre Deux Chaises, Montreal, Canada. (Cat.), (invitiational)
1997 Musée Marc-Aurèle Fortin, The Avmor Collection, Montreal, Canada. (Cat.), (invitational)
1996 London Regional Art Gallery, London, Ontario, Canada. (juried)
1994 Galerie des Beaux-Arts, Montreal, Canada
1992 Galerie Claude Lafitte, Montreal, Canada. (invitiational)
1991 Galerie John Daniel, Montreal, Canada
1990 Salon de l’Illustration Québecoise, Montreal, Canada. (juried)
1990 Galerie Serge Turgeon, Montreal, Canada
1989 Galerie John Daniel, Montreal, Canada
1989 La Cité de l’Image, (AGACM) Montreal, Canada. (juried)
1987 London Regional Art Gallery, London, Canada. (juried)
1986 Leo Kamen Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1986 Elca London Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1985 36iéme Salon de la Jeune Peinture, Paris, France. (Cat.), (juried)
1985 Elca London Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1984 35 iéme Salon de la Jeune Peinture, Paris, France. (Cat.), (juried)
1984 Tatay Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1984 Robertson Gallery, Ottawa, Canada
1984 Maison de la Culture Côte des Neiges, Paris-Couleur-Montréal, Montreal, Canada. (Cat.), (juried)
1984 Vieux Port de Montréal, Tout l’art du Monde, Montreal, Canada. (Cat.), (juried)
1984 Elca London Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1984 University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. (juried)
1983 Artists Gallery, National Watercolour Exhibit, Vancouver, Canada. (juried)
1983 Laval Jewish Community Centre, Laval, Quebec, Canada. (invitational)
1983 Gallery 76, Ontario College of Art, Toronto, Canada. (juried)
1983 Université du Québec, Montreal, Canada. (juried)
1982 Galerie Motivation 5, Montreal, Canada. (juried)
1980 Galerie Art Plus, Montreal, Canada
1980 Robertson Gallery, Ottawa, Canada
1980 Corporate Art Directions, New York, U.S.A.
1979 Dominion Gallery, Montreal, Canada
1979 McGill University, Montreal, Canada
1978 Gallery 1667, Halifax, Canada
1977 Art Students League, New York, U.S.A. (juried)
Collections
Public and Corporate
Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec
Portage Mental Health And Addiction Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Banque Nationale, Montreal, Canada
Dresdner Bank, Munich, Germany
Musée du Quebec, Quebec City, Canada
Véhicule Press, Montreal, Canada
Milgram & Co. Ltd., Custom Brokerage, Montreal, Canada
Valentino Furniture Mfg. Inc., Montreal, Canada
Bank Leumi S.A., Luxembourg
The Avmor Collection, Montreal, Canada
Allgemeine Bautrager Gessellschaft Contruction, Munich, Germany
Ministère des Communitées Culturelles et de L'Immigration, Gouvernement de Québec, Québec, Canada
Hylla & Hoell Architekten, BDB., Munich, Germany
TeaGarden Hotel, Taiwan
Mercantile Bank Collection, Montreal, Canada
Banque Nationale, Montreal, Canada
Teleglobe Canada Collection, Montreal, Canada
Continental Pharma/Cryosan Inc., Montreal, Canada
Hilton International Hotel, Beijing, China
Liberman, Segall, Ginkelberg, Peiletier & Greenspoon, Barristers & Solicitors, Montreal, Canada
Weinstein Consulting Group, Hong Kong & Vancouver, Canada
Sheraton Hotels, Lakeview Dev., Hamilton, Canada
National Restaurant Equipment, Montreal, Canada
Chez Piggy Restaurant, Hamilton, Canada
Bagel Etc. Restaurant, Montreal, Canada
Gaetan Morin Editeur, Montreal Canada
Oakdale Golf and Country Club, Downsview, Ontario
Sheraton Hotel, Dubai
Collections
Private
Gian Carlo Biferali, Montreal
J. Schweitzer, Montreal
Mr. & Mrs. Lippel, Montreal
Mr. & Mrs. L. Gross, Montreal
Mr. & Mrs. D. Geller
M. Schuster, Geneva, Switzerland
T. Hecht, Montreal
Mr. & Mrs. S Ticker, Toronto
G. Troster, Montreal
L. Tessier, Aix-en-Provence, France
S.B. Duval-Renier, Paris, France
I.Paquette-Ranti, Montreal
Dr. I. Seltzer, Montreal
Dr. S. Swartz, Jerusalem, Israel
Dr. Rappaport, Montreal
Dr. Dozois, Montreal
Dr. L. Horlick, Saskatoon
Z. Yanofsky, Hamilton
D. Ramcharan, Mississauga, Canada
T. Mayers, Toronto
B. Liss, Don Mills
L. Hamer, Willowdale
A. Nutz, Washington, D.C.
T. Waters, Richmond, Virginia
Z. Brand, New York
F. Steiner, Texas
S. Cohen, Boston, Mass.
*Many other collectors wish to remain anonymous