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Noir Ascendant, 1956-1969 is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Description
Noir Ascendant is an acrylic on cotton canvas painting that belongs to Molinari's first mature series. This painting was executed in 1969 when the Noir Ascendant drawing, 1956 was still in Molinari's possession. The most significant characteristic of Noir Ascendant, which distinguishes it from its drawing prototype, is its monumental size. According to Molinari:

'''"Painting should neither represent nor deal with the object" Rather it "occurs where energy events take place ... which determine a new spatiality and expresses the new relationships we establish with the world." '''

Molinari considered his black and white series to be his breakthrough in Canadian abstract art, his career reached a pivotal point when he began to experiment with spontaneous, expressive stokes of colour that began to flatten out until the gestural marks were eliminated along with the mimetic references. In 1967 Molinari produced a limited edition portfolio of 12 silkscreens called Noir/Blanc 1956, which included the Noir Ascendant composition.

Historical information
Montreal artist Guido Molinari is considered to be one of Canada's pioneer abstract artists. Among his many accomplishments, he was represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1968 and he has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes, such as the Prix Paul Emile Borduas. Molinari's career has focused on the study of process of perception and the relationship produced between viewer and painting.

 "My own first significant discovery was there there was no space in painting. This occurred to me in 1964. ... For me, space is neither interior nor exterior, but in the fourth dimension of perception. Space to me is a continuum in the mind and exists outside the mind." - Guido Molinari

Acquisition
Donated by Guy Molinari.