Solo / Duo Exhibitions | |
---|---|
2018 | DENISE DUMAS / RANDY MERCHANT, Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene University, NH. USA |
2014 | MUTHERER (TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER), UMass Lowell's Art Gallery. MA |
2014 | TRANSFER UNITS/ UNITÉS DE TRANSFERT, Plein Sud Contemporary Art Exhibition Center in Longueuil, Qc. |
2010 | WAVES/VAGUES CIRCA Exhibition Center, Montreal, Qc. |
2009 | MAKE a WISH 119 Gallery, Lowell, MA. |
2000 | HOME SWEET HOME Sharon Art Center, Peterborough, NH |
1999 | THE STUDIO Installation, Riverview Mill, Wilton, NH |
1998 | VISIONS Georges Laoun, Montreal, Qc. |
1994 | FOUILLES Laval University, Quebec, Qc. |
1990 | LE COMPLEXE ALICE Expression, St-Hyacinthe, Qc. |
1987 | LIENS Galerie 13, Montreal, Qc. |
1986 | NATURE SAUVAGE/CULTURE EN MOUVEMENT |
Installation, Saint-Laurent St., Montreal, Qc. | |
Group Exhibitions | |
2020 | FEU/Virtual exhibition. CIRCA art actuel. Montreal, Canada |
2019 | TANGIBLE ASSETS. Kelley Stelling Contemporary. Manchester, NH. |
2019 | BIENNIAL 2019. Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery. Keene State college. Keene, NH |
2018 | LE 30e ANNIVERSAIRE DU CIRCA, Centre art actuel, Montréal Qc. |
2016 | TERROIR, A NOVA SCOTIA SURVEY, Nova Scotia Art Gallery, Halifax, Canada |
2011 | INSIDE OUT, 119 Gallery, Lowell, MA |
2011 | FACULTY SHOW, Whistler House, Lowell, MA |
2011 | ACROSS SECTION/A CROSS A SECTION, UMASS, Lowell, MA |
2009 | WATER FALL, The Nave Gallery, Somerville, MA |
2008 | MIND MATTERS, Laconia Gallery, Boston, MA |
2007 | VESSEL AS METAPHOR, The Nave Gallery, Somerville, MA |
2006 | DE L’INVENTION DES FRONTIÈRES, CIRCA, Montreal, Qc. |
2006 | BOUNDARIES/FRONTIERS, Gallery 119, Lowell, MA |
2005 | FACULTY SHOW, Massachusetts University, Lowell, MA |
2004 | THE ALPHABETH AS ART, Massachusetts University, Lowell, MA |
2003 | FACULTY SHOW, Massachusetts University, Lowell, MA |
2002 | FACULTY SHOW, New Hampshire Institute of Art, Manchester, NH |
2002 | ACTION/REACTION, Durham University Gallery, NH |
2001 | BIENNIAL 2001, New Hampshire Institute of Art. Manchester, NH |
2001 | «NEW FACULTY/NEW WORK » New Hampshire Institute of Art |
Installation «The Spectator », Fuller Hall Gallery, Manchester, NH | |
1998 | SHARON ART CENTER, Peterborough, NH, USA |
1996 | REGARDS SODAC, Longueuil, Qc. |
1994 | OBJET VERSUS OBJET Musée-Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal, Qc. |
1994 | LES BOURSIERS DE LA SODAC Plein Sud, Longueuil, Qc. |
1993 | CURIOSITÉS ESTHÉTIQUES Expression, St-Hyacinthe, Qc. |
1991 | LES LAURÉATS Longueuil et St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qc. |
1990 | TRANSACTIONS Traveling exhibition grouping seven artists from Quebec |
1989 | COUP DE CŒUR Cité de l'Image, Montreal, Qc. |
1988 | CINQ PLUS Longueuil Cultural Certer, Qc. |
1987 | FEMMES/FORCES Musée du Québec, Qc. |
1987 | LES DIX ANS DE LA MAÎTRISE EN ARTS PLASTIQUES À L’UQAM |
Quebec University, Montreal, Qc. | |
1987 | UNE COLLECTION Plein Sud, Longueuil, Qc. |
1986 | INSTALLATIONS/FICTIONS Galerie Graff, Montreal, Qc. |
1985 | FILIATIONS Powerhouse, Montreal, Qc. |
Studies | |
1982-1985 | UNIVERSITY OF QUEBEC IN MONTREAL (UQAM) |
Master's Degree in Creation (Visual Arts) | |
1970-1972 | ST-MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART, London, England |
"Advanced Studies in Sculpture" with Antony Caro, Philip King, Tim Scott. | |
1969-1970 | SIR JOHN CASS COLLEGE, London, England |
"Three Dimensional Structure Design" | |
1964-1969 | ÉCOLE DES BEAUX-ARTS, Quebec, Qc |
Bachelor of Art, major in sculpture, minor in painting | |
Teaching | |
2001-2014 | UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS IN LOWELL, Lowell, MA |
Foundations (Art Concepts 2D Design & 3/D Design | |
Art Concepts/Colloquium, Form and Content, Sculpture I) | |
2000-2003 | NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF ART, Manchester, NH |
Adjunct (Drawing & Introduction to Sculpture) | |
1987-1999 | COLLÈGE ÉDOUARD-MONTPETIT, Longueuil, Qc. |
Tenured art teacher. Sculpture, painting and visual Language. | |
Experience | |
2008-2009 | "Mentor" Allstate Art Festival, Currier Museum of Art, NH |
1998-1999 | Visual arts specialist for the Quebec Ministery of Communications |
1994-1995 | Head of the Art Department of College Edouard- Montpetit, Longueuil, Qc. |
1991-1993 | Administrator at the Art Gallery of College Edouard- Montpetit-Longueuil, Qc. |
1989-present | Jury member for different artistic events |
1972-1981 | Freelance work: Animated film (concept and realization) |
Stage design (in film making), graphic, illustration | |
Awards | |
2017-2018 | Fellowship/Artist residency, Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene University, NH. USA |
2017-2018 | Canada Council on the Arts |
2015 | MacDowell Colony Fellowship, Artist residency. Peterborough NH. |
2010 | Fellowship, New Hampshire Council on the Arts |
1993 | SODAC |
1991 | Premier Prix du concours « LES LAURÉATS EN ARTS CONTEMPORAINS », SODAC |
1988 | Canada Council on the Arts |
1986 | Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Quebec |
1985 | Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Quebec |
1969 | Canada Council on the Arts |
Commissions | |
2018 | US, site specific installation, Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene University, NH. USA |
2008 | Art Rock, Logan Airport, Boston MA, USA |
2005 | Private Commission for a Garden Sculpture: CYCLE, Denver, CO. |
2003 | Private Commission for a sculpture: SWING, Denver CO, USA |
1991 | Integration into Architecture Program |
Ministry of Cultural Affairs Saint-Luc sur Richelieu School, Qc. | |
1989 | Creation of an environment for the Family/Friends activities at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Montreal, Qc. |
Press Reviews and Art Magazines Articles (selection) | |
Rannou, Pierre | Denise Dumas. Déconstruction de la coiffeuse, Art magazine Espace no 107. P 66-67, 2014 |
Dewolfe, Stacey | Review of Vagues/Waves on akimbo.ca blog, June 16 2010 |
VYUmagazine.com | Interview with Denise Dumas, October issue no. 31, 2006 |
Hakim, Mona | L'histoire réinventée, Le Devoir, July 2 and 3 1994 |
Cron, M.Michèle | Permutation des langages visuels, Le Devoir, saturday October 19th 1991 |
Daigneault, Gilles | Denise Dumas: " Il était une fois une petite ardoise", Le Devoir, November 15th 1986 |
Daigneault, Gilles | Le Trimestre, Vie des Arts, Winter 1986 |
Dumont, Jean | Images qui disent, mots qui montrent, Montréal ce mois-ci, 1986 |
Lepage, Joscelyne | D'une installation à l'autre, La Presse, Saturday October 19th. 1985 |
Daigneault, Gilles | 1/4, Vie des Arts, December 1985 |
CATALOGUES and other PUBLICATIONS | |
AGNS | Terroir: A Nova Scotia Survey. Exhibition catalogue. 192 pages. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. NS. 2016-17 Curators: David Diviney, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery of Nova Scotia; Bruce Johnson, Independent Curator; and Sarah Fillmore, Chief Curator, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. |
Connolly, Jocelyne | Denise Dumas, UNITÉS DE TRANSFERT / TRANSFER UNITS Exhibition catalogue. Longueuil, Qc: Plein Sud, Contemporary Art Exhibition Center in Longueuil. 2014, 16p |
Forcier, Madeleine | OBJET VERSUS OBJET: L'archéologie dans l'imaginaire Exhibition catalogue. Museum of Archeology and History of Montreal, Qc. 1994 |
SODAC, Longueuil | REGARDS Exhibition catalogue. Longueuil, Qc. 1991 |
Palardy, Lorraine Groleau, Michel Lamontagne, Yves | ELAAC: Free Entry to Contemporary Art (COUP DE COEUR), Montreal 1989, 82p. |
Caouette, Micheline Bissonnette, Lise | FEMMES/FORCES Exhibition catalogue. Museum of Quebec, Qc. 1987, 94p |
Collectif artistes-écrivais | INSTALLATIONS/FICTIONS Québec. Editions NBJ, 1986, 170p. |
Public Collections | |
Museum of Quebec, Quebec city | |
Lachine's Museum, Montreal | |
City of Longueuil, Qc | |
College Edouard-Montpetit, Qc |
screenshot popupmaker pb
Portholes Portals
Portholes / Portals 2016
Portholes/Portals (Diptych) 2016, silver transfer on resin, conté crayon;
and Lunette (Sculpture) 2016, metal, paint.
An installation about an unbalanced and fragile world.
Presented at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, in Terroir, A Nova Scotia Survey. June 25th 2016- January 15th 2017
Mirror Tell Me
Mirror Tell Me (Ongoing)
In this project I extract the memory of old mirrors by removing their silver backings and transforming them through mixed media, exposing the spirits of the mirrors. Each mirror has a story, and the extraction pulls out the mystery that informs what follows. In these explorations, which take different forms based on each mirror’s response to the process, I investigate how an object’s memory, personal stories, and preoccupations reflecting our times intersect in a reconstruction to create new imagery.
Making Waves

Studies: Traces left on glass by evaporation of black water.
Things in Common
This project is about turbulence and metamorphosis, it evokes states of consciousness experienced in times of crisis. I investigate how actuality, memory, and the making process intersect in the creation of new images.
A childhood memory of an Atlantic storm, observed from the two portholes of our ship’s cabin, is a metaphor to translate visually the idea of a world in turmoil. The raging black sea is associated with the precariousness of an uncontrollable situation, and the fear of being swallowed by that liquid abyss. Current events such as mass migration, a sick planet, the polarization leading to extremism, the Me Too movement, are examples of what inform this project.
Sculptures, video, sound, and light, echo each other in order to translate the various concerns explored in the multimedia installation as presented at the Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene Sate College, Keene, NH. USA.
Thanks to the Canada Council on the Arts for its support for the research and for the production of Things in Common.

Mutherer (Two or Three Things I Know About Her)
Mutherer (Two or Three Things I Know About Her) 2015
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Multimedia installation: sculpture, video projection, reflected light.
Mutherer suggests to be free of inherited patterns and imprints which inhibit creativity.
The subtitle is borrowed from Jean-Luc Godard’s 1967 film Two or Three Things I know About Her. It also refers to the subject, “Her,” as both mother figure and creativity itself.
See vidéo


MUTHERER, “The Violin That Doesn’t Play” (left on the picture),
and “That Night” (back wall)
and “That Night” (back wall)

View of video projection “Pour” on black painted wall
Transfer Units
Transfer Units / Unités de Transfert
Multimedia installation presented at Plein Sud, Contemporary Art Center in Longueuil, Qc. 2014
Sculpture, video projection and refracted light echo each other to create a theatrical environment evoking the passage of time and the illusive character of memory. A mirrored dressing table is the origin of an unfolding family of events. Domestic furniture has been dissected to recreate new entities. Various elements collude to form a causal sequence revealing underlying myths, dreams and realities.
See vidéo
Waves
Waves/Vagues 2010
Sculpture, video, sound
The tension of duality is a recurrent theme in my work. Being a twin plays a role in the origin of this desire for TWO. The installation’s dynamic is based on the idea of a dividing line. Combined with the displacement of the familiar, where sea waves animate the surfaces of an over-stretched kitchen table, illusion and reality are orchestrated to challenge our perception. Being the core of the display, the dividing plane operates as an imaginary mirror, where the illusion of perfect synchronicity only lasts a moment, depending on the point of view.
See vidéo
Make a Wish
Make a Wish 2009
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Sculpture, video and sound installation.
A three-channel video projection, Make a Wish combines images of thunderstorms and water with an accompanying soundtrack of voiced concerns to envelop the gallery in an electrical storm of uncertainty. Watery surfaces spill with a myriad of visions that form a layered collage of contemporary troubles. Mixing real and virtual imagery, Dumas creates multiple points of view that redefine domestic, political, ecological, social, and economic ideas.
Three video sequences are synchronized to form a loop of 8 minutes and 15 seconds a piece:
A three channel video, sound and sculpture installation.
Make a Wish is composed of: three 46” diameter x 12” (height) galvanized steel elements. Their surfaces act as screens for projections coming from the ceiling. Mirrors are adjusted to reflect details of the images above each element.
A different event appears in each container: Waves shows coffee being stirred while radio extracts list the words most heard on the news since the events of 9.11; Economist Soup deals with social turmoil and the difficulty of assimilating all that is happening; and Maison uses a child’s nightmare of a house being flooded and invaded by sharks as a symbol to combine recent economic and ecologic events.
See vidéo
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- Waves
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- Economist Soup
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- Maison
Borderline
Borderline 2006
12
Sculpture, video and sound installation.
This work articulates psychological states and boundaries; the way that an interior self is constructed through memory, context and experience. I explore what occurs when the integrity of this interior self experiences a radical displacement in one’s own environment, language, and/or culture. In this installation I suggest we carry our personal boundaries/frontiers with us wherever we go. I explore how the self-defined limits of an out-of-scale stage can here become a tool to fulfill a child’s dream: a memory layer to overlap past and recent events. While the sculpture-stage compresses and oppresses, the resulting video performance conveys how one’s power to expand can reside in creativity.

Sculpture, video and sound installation
Video duration: 3 minutes, 9 seconds
Sculpture: Theatre Trunk
Materials: Wood, tile, plexiglas, metal and neon
Dimensions: 60″ X 23″ X 25″