D. H. Monet
Don Monet is a community-centred Ottawa artist, curator and activist. He concentrates his studio efforts toward landscape, photo-collage and found-object paintings. Owner of Cube Gallery, Ottawa, now in its ninth year, he has organized dozens of thematic group exhibitions and solo shows featuring Ottawa and National visual artists, musicians, actors and dancers. He has taught culture, communications, ethics, and audience research courses (sessionally) at the University of Ottawa, and cartoon and art classes to children at the National Gallery, and several elementary schools. Much of his work is informed by the 13 years he lived and worked with the Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en peoples in Northern B.C. In 1992 he published a Canadian classic: "Colonialism on Trial", a graphic documentary following the Delgam Uukw court action of 87-91.
Over the last thirty years Don Monet has organized and curated dozens of thematic group exhibitions In Vancouver, Hazelton, Toronto and for the past twenty years in Ottawa, Ont. Monet is an advocate of the multi disciplinary approach to art, curating shows that feature visual artists, musicians, actors and dancers. His curatorial project often invites visual artists to interpret a theme in concert with the wider community of artists. To that end: He has organized a “First Thursdays Art Walk” among five galleries in Ottawa’s west end (2010 -), the West End Studio Tour (1995-) and the Nocturne Festival of the night sky, now in its fifth year, Nocturne is a dialogue between the astronomy/science community and fine artists. Monet also founded and curates the Fritzi Gallery (2008 - ) at the Great Canadian Theatre Company. Fritzi presents a visual dialogue between visual artists and the plays mounted at GCTC.
He has mounted shows for nationally-acclaimed artists such as Russell Yuristy, Karina Kraenzle, Eric
Walker, Kristy Gordon and Joe Fafard.
He has also hosted musical acts with a range of performers including Peter Katz, experimental jazz by Grid Mesh from Berlin, and cutting-edge
theatre such as Peter Froehlich’s
“Merz” and John Koensgen’s
“Dracula”.
Over the years, Monet has invited artists across Canada to tackle political issues such as the Quebec Summit aftermath, the shape of the square, the bombing in Yugoslavia, the colour red, war in Lebanon and along the way has supported charities including Haiti Relief, Doctors Without Borders, Jane’s Walk, CARFAC and War Child. Cube has hosted numerous cultural events ranging from poetry readings, CD and book launches.
Price Range: $500 - $4,000
