In the House of Paul-Émile Borduas

Introduction
A Place for Art, A Place to Live
A Cherished Mountain
A Global Refusal
Exploring Borduas' Art
The River of Time
Looking Back

Writing about Nature

Paul-Émile Borduas, Composition, (Apple Tree), 1951,
oil on canvas. Private collection.
© Paul-Émile Borduas Estate / SODRAC (2013) With its numerous orchards, Saint-Hilaire is one of Québec’s best-known apple growing regions. Borduas grew up in this environment, where the countryside, river and mountain were part of everyday life. His memories were marked by this universe, which he used to illustrate certain aspects of his artistic thought. In “Le surréalisme et nous” (Surrealism and ourselves). he looked at the idea of the unpreconceived act and its importance. Borduas wanted to place no conditions on desire, ardour or love, but rather to obey initial impulses “without restriction, without prejudice, without interdiction.”

Borduas’ occasional use of the apple as a metaphor in his writing harks back to his origins and reflects the liberty of expression underpinning his artistic vision. According to him, nature could never be subjugated; it had to be allowed to evolve, just like thought, which he wanted to be unfettered by preconceived ideas and notions. Borduas’ artistic vision favoured spontaneity and left room for non-controlled and unexpected gestures. He perceived the result of artistic activity in much the same way: it was not preconceived, analyzed or conceptualized, but rather produced by the impulsive expression of the unconscious.

From New York, in October 1953, Borduas wrote these words to Ozias Leduc: «I am starting over from zero, practically unknown and without friends. We’ll see, eventually.
And back there, back home – in that exquisite spot on Earth where it’s a comfort to know you are safe from such pointless displacements – what is the news?
Do you continue to work with that joy that is yours? And the apples? And the chimneys? And friends?»



Paul-Émile Borduas, Landscape, 1933, oil on canvas. 
Provate collection.
Photo MBAM, Christine Guest et Brian Merrett. 
© Paul-Émile Borduas Estate / SODRAC (2013) Even though he wished to start over from nothing, some part of Borduas was surely anchored to the landscape of his Saint-Hilaire childhood. Another letter, written from New York to his friend Jeanne Brisebois in 1955, shows the strength of his attachment: «Here, the adventure continues! The chances of success are improving… perhaps. I’m working a lot; I go out very little! In short, my life is not much different that it was when I lived in my little basement. Except that there is neither mountain nor “my” river, nor my family, nor my friends, nor as many friends, but I am working ten times more, a hundred times more! And this was the only way I could save myself some day. I had no choice! I had to take the bull by the horns! We’ll see what comes of it. »

Borduas’ unfading nostalgia marked his life. He nevertheless continued to work and pursue his dream. His production is imbued with nature. Even when he was thousands of kilometres away from Saint-Hilaire, there are unequivocal traces and references to his native countryside. Borduas eventually moved to Paris, but even there his letters always contain mentions of Québec, his old friends and, of course, his mountain.

In January 1959, when he had been in the French capital for a few years, he wrote these words to Ulric Aimé Paradis, better known as Frère Jérôme: «It is good that you have gotten back in touch with Mousseau, Notebaert and Vermette. Their assistance is surely precious, even in the studio. I won’t try to hide what pleasure it would give me to be there and see you at work. The best I can hope for is to come for a visit. I miss my friends, my country, its climate, my mountain, and I really must go back some day! Then I’ll be able to go to Côte-des-Neiges. And there we’ll see if everything is as beautiful as I imagine!»

Paul-Émile Borduas never had the chance to see Québec again. He died in his studio, in Paris, on February 22, 1960. His remains were brought back to his native land only in 1989. They were reburied in his village of Saint-Hilaire, between the river and the mountain.

Header image: View of St-Hilaire. Simon Beauregard collection (24,8).

In “Le surréalisme et nous” (Surrealism and ourselves), Borduas, true to his roots, used the metaphor of the apple tree to talk about time and its impact and thus convey how every gesture influences the outcome. « …if one permits, an even more delirious phrase that is non-exclusive but, to the contrary, embraces all beings and things?
Alone: two: all.
Whatever the case may be, any direction imposed on love can only destroy it. Any chosen action is good only if it prunes.
Cut off the apple tree’s dead branches; cut out the middle branches and let the sun warm the tree’s core. Let us be ardent, attentive and maybe the fruit will be more perfect.
In any case, one will have done what was possible to do. I have always believed that the possible should satisfy one’s hopes.» »