The Contemporary Arts Society was founded by John Lyman in 1939 to promote

modern art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradit ...

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, at a time when

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

was dominated by

academic art Academic art, academicism, or academism, is a style of painting and sculpture produced under the influence of European academies of art. This method extended its influence throughout the Western world over several centuries, from its origins i ...

. Lyman was the Society's first president. The additional officers were vice-president

Paul-Émile Borduas Paul-Émile Borduas (November 1, 1905 – February 22, 1960) was a Québécois artist known for his abstract paintings. He was the leader of the avant-garde Automatiste movement and the chief author of the Refus Global manifesto of 1948. B ...

, secretary Fritz Brandtner, and treasurer Philip Surrey. The Society lasted until 1948.

Early membership

Early members included Alexander Bercovitch,

, Simone Mary Bouchard, Stanley Cosgrove, Louise Landry Gadbois, Eric Goldberg, Jack Humphrey, John Goodwin Lyman, Louis Muhlstock,

Alfred Pellan Alfred Pellan (born Alfred Pelland; 16 May 1906 – 31 October 1988) was an important figure in twentieth-century Canadian painting. Biography Alfred Pellan was born on 16 May 1906 in the Saint-Roch quarter of Quebec City. His mother, Régi ...

Goodridge Roberts, Jori Smith, and Philip Surrey. Moe Reinblatt was included later. The Society had up to 62 members: artists, but also collectors and art professionals, such as historian and critic Maurice Gagnon.

External links

The Canadian encyclopedia - Entry "Contemporary Arts Society"

References

Culture of Montreal History of art in Canada Canadian artist groups and collectives Canadian modern painters Canadian art movements {{art-org-stub