Canadian Artist Blurs the Lines Between Figure Painting and Abstract Art

Mathieu Laca, the Canadian oil painter, is famed for his historical characters and figures. Using oil paints, he creates paintings based on fantasy. His works blur the line between abstraction and figuration. Says he on thompsonlandry.com, “I see my paintings as visual tales of a world without constraints.”

Laca, born in Laval in Quebec, Canada, graduated from Concordia University with a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts. When he was only 17, he exhibited his first work at the Maison des Arts de Laval. He is one of the unique artists who uses his instincts to paint his subjects, highlighting what he feels about their personality by his deft use of colors and textures. Mathieu Laca’s art is most unconventional and looks like a blend of figure and abstract painting.

Mathieu Laca paintings were featured in many solo exhibitions that included Quebec City’s prestigious L’espace Contemporain. His paintings are also in both public and private collections in many countries, such as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Norway, Spain, UK, and the USA. He is also a recipient of the Laval Culture Prize.

Laca was handpicked by painter Marc Seguin to display his works in the group exhibition, Generation Montreal, which showcases some of the best young talents. More recently, his works were showcased at Thompson Landry Gallery. These included 30 large-scale portraits depicting the relationships of couples that have changed the course of history. His bold impasto technique allows him to unravel the psychological depth of his human subjects. This exhibition is considered his most ambitious to date.

Laca does not have very happy memories of his childhood, as he felt suffocated between a soft mother and a short-tempered father. This made him a loner and he preferred locking himself away in his room and read French literature classics. However, his inner artist was noticed by two teachers at school, who introduced him to art. This was a most liberating experience for him. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, where he majored in painting and drawing. He is currently based in Laval in Quebec, Australia.