From the Curator’s Desk

A Young, Vibrant Collection

A province-wide printmaking competition organized in 1979 served as the basis for what would become La Collection Loto‑Québec.

At the time, it took a great deal of determination and vision on the part of the company’s directors to agree to make such an adventure part of Loto-Québec’s mission. However, they did, and Loto-Québec adopted policies designed to launch the contemporary visual arts collection that would, over the years, become a fundamental part of the organization’s social identity. This collection enriches Québec’s cultural heritage and reflects the diversity and exceptional talent of the province’s professional artists. La Collection Loto-Québec provides dynamic support to the production and exposure of Québec’s culture, thanks in no small part to the close ties that the Collection has established with the arts community.

Within Loto-Québec itself, the Collection has piqued the interest of the organization’s 5,000 or so employees. Every day, the works on display engage employees, enrich their lives by offering new visual experiences, deepen their sense of esthetics, sharpen their understanding of the creative process and artistic life, and sensitize them to present-day art.

La Collection Loto-Québec is actively involved in the arts community throughout Québec. The provincial printmaking and sculpture competitions, the Prix de la relève au pluriel, the Repérage sales exhibit program, the regional Collection artwork tours, the programs created to integrate works of art into architecture, the sponsorships and the artwork acquisition events have had significant positive impacts on Québec’s cultural environment. What’s more, in 1997, the Collection’s acquisition of three major works by artist Jean-Paul Riopelle, including the famous painting Rosa-Luxembourg, led to a partnership with the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. This flagship artwork has become a source of inspiration for all Quebecers, not to mention an attraction for countless visitors who come to admire the series of remarkable paintings adorning a 40-metre expanse of Salle Jean-Paul-Riopelle–Loto-Québec.

Because it is young, alive and current, as well as available to a wide audience by being displayed in a variety of exhibition and cultural venues, La Collection Loto-Québec serves as a museum for a variety of audiences. At the same time, the Collection proudly fulfils its role as a corporate collection recognized, within its own industry, as one of the leaders in Québec’s contemporary visual arts community.

Louis Pelletier, Curator
February 2010