Ceramist, muralist and painter Claude Vermette began his arts training at Collège Notre-Dame. He was introduced to Paul-Émile Borduas by one of his teachers, Brother Jérôme, and joined the Automatiste group during his studies. Though Borduas considered him too young to sign the Refus Global, Vermette was among those at the launch of the manifesto. Between 1948 and 1952, he drew the attention of critics with his first exhibitions. His interest in ceramics developed in 1952 while he was studying in Italy with sculptor Fausto Melotti and architect Gio Ponti, the founder of Domus magazine. In 1953, he completed his first major ceramic work for the apse and ceiling of the new chapel at the Chicoutimi seminary, marking the beginning of thirty years of collaborations with architects, engineers and artists such as Jean-Paul Mousseau. Vermette authored numerous projects for the integration of art into architecture, notably at the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, the 1970 World’s Fair in Osaka and the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. His ceramic designs (murals, halls, parquet floors) can still be found in schools, churches, courthouses, hospitals, airports and office buildings (Montreal, Toronto, New York), as well as in a dozen Montreal subway stations, including Saint-Laurent, Peel, Berri-UQAM and Laurier. Vermette also explored printmaking, bronze sculptures, watercolours and painting over the course of his career. At the time of his death, he had just completed the designs for five outdoor murals at the Pavillon du Lac des Castors in Mount Royal Park. These were unveiled in January 2006.
SEE:
« Claude Vermette : Lorsque l’exubérance prend forme » by Normand Biron, ESPACE, vol. 4, #2, p. 27.
