A Piece of Canada in Dubai: Opera Gallery to Showcase Acclaimed Artists in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy and Consulate General in the UAE

Art lovers will soon be able to find a little piece of Canada in Dubai, with the launch of Opera Gallery's new collaborative exhibition featuring renowned Canadian artists Johanne Corno, Rock Therrien and Sylvain Tremblay.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130827/637097 )

"A Piece of Canada in Dubai brings together the work of three outstanding artists who reflect diversity, passion, experiment and energy in modern Canadian art. This exhibition by the renowned Opera Gallery is a celebration of the increasing cultural ties between Canada and the UAE and of the strength of the growing Dubai and UAE art scene. I'm proud that Canadians are a part of the story", says His Excellency Arif Lalani, Canada's Ambassador in the UAE.

Johanne Corno is one of Opera Gallery's best-selling artists, having shown her work in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and New York. Her work is now on permanent display in Opera Gallery's 10 branches across the world; and recently the CBC French TV network broadcast a short documentary on her career. MORE Magazine has named her one of the 'Top 40 over 40 Women' in Canada, while Chatelaine Magazine listed her in its 'Top 100 Women in Quebec'.

Corno uses bold brushstrokes to wow her audience, incorporating representations of her vivacious energy and style through the use of textured colours. Her portraiture invokes daring statements - something particularly visible throughout her series of Marilyn Monroe abstracts.

Born in 1970 near Quebec, Rock Therrien is a self-taught artist who draws inspiration from his daily life, environment and surroundings. His studio in the heart of the Laurentian Mountains provides ample inspiration and material from which to kick-start his creative mind.

"I paint, for the joy of it, for amusement, but far removed from being simply an entertaining activity; my art allows me to express an idea, sometimes a message, most often a thought…", Therrien said in an artist statement. "Through its colourful and humorous scenes, and owing to a naïve treatment of the round-featured characters, my pieces catch the eye, provide me with a soapbox and create a special link with the spectator", he continued.

The artist uses a characteristic curve technique to represent people, places and situations, drawing circular motifs to represent life on canvas. He sands down his already textured paintings to create a 'used' look, thus aging the artwork. Therrien has exhibited extensively across his native Canada and has held numerous solo exhibitions since 1998.

Sylvain Tremblay has had extensive experience in graphic design, specialising in creating unique artwork for clothing and apparel, as well as in interior design. The artist has exhibited across the world, from New York to Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul to London, Nassau and Brussels. His works have been described as 'converging on the human condition in an industrialised, urban context', featuring elongated and roughly sketched figures of humanity. "Just as the experiences in life weather us physically and emotionally,  I  want   to  express  this  in  art,  that's  why  I  like   to  work  with texture; the crackling and the overall look of used, weathered and lived in", he said.

With a degree in Graphic Arts from the College Sainte-Foy in Quebec, Tremblay was selected by the Canada Council for Arts and Cirque du Soleil to represent Canada at the World Universal Exhibition, in China (2010). In March 2012 Tremblay took part in 'Canada Week' in Dubai, presenting a work to the President of the Canadian University in Dubai. This work is currently displayed at the main entrance of the University, to promote Canadian art abroad, and marked the UAE's 41^st National Day. During his visit, the artist held workshops and tutorials with students, also presenting four unique canvases (as pieces of a puzzle) to children being treated at Rashid Hospital.

The Johanne Corno, Rock Therrien and Sylvain Tremblay exhibition will be held from 10^th September to 24^thSeptember 2013 at the Opera Gallery, DIFC.