Draft:Jean Pronovost

Jean Pronovost, born in Quebec City in 1976, has lived and worked in Montreal for the past 20 years. He is a self-taught fine art painter and sculptor, known for his versatility across various types of paint, materials, and scales. Drawing inspiration from ancient mythology and old civilizations, Pronovost's work features allegorical figures and landscapes intended to inspire self-reflection and contemplation. His art is characterized by intricate symbolism, a blend of realism and fantasy, and elements of wit and dark humor.

BIOGRAPHY
Jean Pronovost's airbrushing skills have contributed to various high-profile projects, including Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion's Las Vegas show, and Denis Villeneuve's short film Next Floor (2008). His work in stage and film production encompasses creating special effects, scene props, and designing entire sets and environments. Pronovost has an international reputation as a skilled airbrush artist, earning invitations to events like Switzerland’s Airbrush Magic and sponsorship from Iwata, a prominent airbrush brand. This partnership has led to appearances on the PBS show Art Express and other TV programs. Additionally, Pronovost teaches courses and conducts workshops in airbrushing, offering his expertise in creating indoor and outdoor murals, art installations, and customized motor vehicles.

Pronovost's art synthesizes elements from various styles, including neo-symbolism, surrealism, and visionary art. His work blends multiple genres and techniques, challenging standard categories of decorative, abstract, or figurative art. His creations often incorporate mythology and mystical symbolism, presenting allegorical wisdom that encourages viewers to explore new perspectives. Pronovost's art reintroduces ancient legends and mythological figures, blending anachronisms with ancient pictorial techniques. His paintings and sculptures balance delicate colors with rich textures, giving depth to contemporary life scenes and ancient metaphors. Through his fantastic realism, Pronovost's work invites viewers to engage in dialogues with the past, offering an alternative universe that critiques false values and celebrates essential truths.

PERSONAL LIFE
Jean Pronovost, the eldest son of a philosopher and an art historian, was raised in an environment rich in classical ideas and aesthetic creativity. From an early age, he was exposed to the art world, frequently visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), a place he still finds inspiring and peaceful. Encouraged by his mother to express himself creatively from his first year, his early drawings were used in her classes to illustrate concepts of automatism and naïve art. These early experiences marked the beginning of his lifelong journey in the arts.

INFLUENCES AND TRAVEL
Jean Pronovost, born in Quebec City in 1976, has lived and worked in Montreal for the past 20 years. He is a self-taught, versatile fine art painter and sculptor, proficient in various types of paint, materials, and scales. Pronovost draws significant inspiration from ancient mythology and civilizations, creating allegorical figures and landscapes that encourage self-reflection and contemplation. His works are characterized by intricate symbolism, a blend of realism and fantasy, and elements of wit and dark humor.

The influences on Pronovost's art are diverse and cross-cultural, with a strong emphasis on ancient cultures where the creative impulse was often attributed to gods or nature rather than personal fame or financial gain. He finds profound inspiration in the art of ancient civilizations such as the Mesopotamian, Incan, Mayan, Greek, and Egyptian peoples. The surviving art and temples from these cultures reveal rich meanings, powerful symbols, and technological innovations, offering insights and lessons that continue to influence Pronovost's work.

Career
Jean Pronovost's airbrushing skills have contributed to the visual storytelling and atmosphere in productions such as Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion’s Las Vegas show, and Denis Villeneuve’s short film Next Floor (2008). His work for stage and film includes creating special effects, scene props, and designing and executing entire sets and environments. Pronovost has gained an international reputation as a skilled airbrush artist, leading to guest invitations to events like Switzerland’s Airbrush Magic and sponsorship by Iwata, a premier airbrush brand. This partnership has resulted in appearances on the PBS show Art Express and other television programs. He also teaches courses and conducts workshops in airbrushing, offering innovative airbrush services for indoor and outdoor murals, art installations, and customized motor vehicles.

Pronovost's art synthesizes elements from various styles, including neo-symbolism, surrealism, and visionary art. His work defies standard categories of decorative, abstract, or figurative art by blending multiple genres and techniques. Pronovost's creativity is guided by his own reasoning and rules, allowing him to create outside conventional boundaries. His art, steeped in mythology and mystical symbolism, encourages viewers to explore new perspectives within themselves. Pronovost's creations often depict ancient legends and mythological figures, blending anachronisms with ancient pictorial techniques. His paintings and sculptures balance delicate colors with rich textures, adding depth to contemporary life scenes and ancient metaphors. Through fantastic realism, Pronovost's work invites viewers to engage in dialogues with the past, offering an alternative universe that critiques false values and celebrates essential truths.

Expositions

 * 2021 : Exhibition Representational Fantastic at Kirkland Arts Center | Washington, U.S.A.
 * 2019 : Exhibition of Society for Art of Imagination at Ashawagh Gallery | East Hampton, New York, U.S.A.
 * 2018 : Exhibition SCULPTURE IV, Saint-Hyacinthe Convention Center | Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
 * 2017 : Exhibition Bakers’ Hall | Harp Lane, London, Angleterre
 * 2017 : Premiere of Le Sphinx movie & Exhibition at Phi Centre | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2017 : Exhibition One Art Space, Visionary Alchemy | New York, U.S.A.
 * 2016 : Exhibition SCULPTURE III at Montreal Convention Centre, Grand Prix of the public | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2016 : Exhibition Dreams and divinities & Art of imagination at Flox de Kirschau Gallery | Germany
 * 2016 : Exhibition Im’ago Primordialis, Krab Jab Studio | Seattle, U.S.A.
 * 2016 : Organiser of Exhibition at Art National University Diego Quispe Tito | Cusco, Peru
 * 2016 : Exposition Dreams and divinities & Art of imagination at Atelier Gustave Gallery | Paris, France
 * 2015 : Curator of the first Exhibition at Art of Imagination at Montreal’s Écomusée du fier Monde | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2015 : Exhibition de Sculpture SCULPTURE II at Montreal Convention Center | Canada
 * 2014 : Exhibition de Sculpture SCULPTURE I at Montreal Convention Center | Canada
 * 2014 : Exhibition of Art of Imagination at Moniker Gallery | Toronto, Canada
 * 2013 : Exhibition Le Sphinx, artistic retrospective in the deconsecrated Sainte-Brigide-de-Kildare church | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2012 : Collective exhibition at Phantasten Museum, museum of fantasy art organized by Society for Art of Imagination | Vienna, Austria
 * 2011 : Collective exhibition DÉCOVER at Plateau Gallery | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2010 : Belgo art building, L’Illustre Galerie, unit 123 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2010 : Visionary art exhibition 5 Decades of the Fantastic at prestigious Murphy Hill Gallery organized by Society for Art of Imagination | Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
 * 2009 : Collective exhibition at L’Illustre Galerie organized by Quebec Illustrators Association| Montreal, Québec, Canada
 * 2009 : Collective exhibition at Art of Vision at Seed Gallery | Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A.
 * 2008 : Collective exhibition Switzerland Airbrush Magic at Dottikon, Catalog of the artist | Aargau, Switzerland.
 * 2008 : Collective exhibition Provocation — ARTundressed at Erotic Art Festival | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2008 : Just For Laughs Museum | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2007 : Collective exhibition at Usine 106U, Carnal, Etheromane, Apparition, Resort, Cinetix and Illumination | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2004 : Solo exhibition at Station C | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2004 : Corporate event at Cirque du Soleil | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2004 : Solo exhibition at L'Oreille de Van Gogh Gallery | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2003 : Solo exhibition at Saint-Libérale Chapel | Brive-La-Gaillarde, France
 * 2003 : Solo exhibition Le seigneur et la dame de la dualité at 1040 Marie-Anne Gallery | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2003 : Solo exhibition at WorldBeat Center | Montreal, Québec, Canada
 * 2001 : Solo exhibition Le seigneur et la dame de la dualité à la Galerie 1040 Marie-Anne | Montreal, Quebec, Canada
 * 2000 : Collective exhibition with S.U.N. Art Collective, Liquid Artists Centre | Lower East Side, New York, U.S.A.

Private and public collections

 * Private collection Igor Simonnet
 * Present in many private collections
 * Gallery 1040, Montreal, Quebec
 * Jean Coutu, commemorative work with the participation of Guy Laliberté, Robert Charlebois
 * Garou and Michael Schumacher.
 * Loto-Québec, Montreal, Quebec

Mediagraphy

 * 2021 | Praxis Art Magazine - Medellin, Colombia
 * 2018 | Reporting and magazine : Téatricus, Host : Denis Favron
 * 2014 | TV show : Montrealité, Host : Katerine-Lune Rollet, Channel : MaTV
 * 2013 | TV show : Téléjournal, Host : Maxence Bolodeau, Channel : Radio- Canada
 * 2012 | TV show : Trucs et cie (Canada), Hosts : Josée Turmel et Alain Dumas, Channel : Canal V
 * 2011 | Magazine : DÉCOVER Magazine (Canada), Date, volume, page : Août 2008 – No.12 – Cover and pages 6 to 9
 * 2009 | TV show : TV Art Express 705 (U.S.A.), Channel : PBS, Producer and director : Paul Larson, Dates and reruns : (2009) March 24 and 27 mars, May 5 and 8, June 2 and 5
 * 2009 | TV show : Ma maison... Signée Manon Leblanc (Canada), Channel : Canal Vie, Producer and director: Productions Manon Leblanc, Dates ans reruns : (2010) May 24,25, 26, 28 and 30
 * 2009 | Weekly : Les Versants, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (Canada), Journalist : Mylène Péthel, Article : Les dessous d’une murale (rencontre avec Jean Pronovost), Publisher : Les Versants de Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Date, volume, page : Sept. 2, 2009 – Vol. 09 #34 – page 16 (Culture et loisirs)
 * 2008 | Newspaper : AZ Freiamt Suisse, Dottikon (Suisse), Journalist : Samuel Schumacher, Article : Meister mit der Spritzpistole (Maîtres de l’aérographe), Publisher : AZ Freiamt, Date, volume, page : Oct. 13, 2008 – Cover page – AZ 5000 Aarau – Nr. 279 – 2. Jahgang Ausgabe 41
 * 2008 | Magazine : Décoration Chez Soi (Canada), Research and styling : Joanne Sciotto, Publisher : Québecor Média, Date, volume, page : April 2008 – No.316 – page 76
 * 2007 | Magazine, Espace Sculpture (Canada), Article : De l’éloge du laid ?, Journalist : Serge Fisette, Date, volume, page : Spring 2007 – No. 79 – page 16 and 17
 * 2000 | Magazine : XXL (É.-U.), Article : The average (about Outkast music group project), Journalist : Bonsu Thompson, Date, volume, page : December 2000 – No. 21 – Cover and page 15, Note : Mural on canvas, order placed by the famous group Outkast and presented on the cover of the magazine XXL, New York