"Painting is silent poetry; poetry is sightless painting"
Leonardo da Vinci, The Treatise on Painting.

Gestures and Words brings out the chemistry at work between language and the work of art, or rather a reproduction of the work of art (for it should be noted that a whole world exists between the work and its reproduction).

Gestures. The term gestures is used here in its broadest meaning -- the gesture of the artist or the artisan, the gesture of creation, the gesture as the voluntary or involuntary movement of the body, everyday gestures, gesture in the calligraphic sense, etc.

Words. The words artists sometimes use in their works, the words of poets involved in the adventure, the words of curators shedding light on the works, finally the words of visitors to the site who wish to express themselves on a work called "silent" presented in one of the galleries reserved for that purpose.

We have sought works which show the intimate look of the artist on people, things, places, society and sometimes even on the medium used. To better present this look, two of the three galleries have been divided by subtopic: symbolism, body movement, reinvented landscapes, religious subjects, landscapes, the body, everyday life, figures, and legend and historical settings.

This virtual exhibition produced in cooperation with ten museums across Canada allows you to view Canadian collections in a number of different ways since you are given many alternatives during your visit.

You have three exhibition galleries and an open storeroom to visit. The Art and Experimentation (silent works) gallery gives visitors the chance to express themselves on works of art of their choice, the Art and Literature gallery brings together works of art and poetic writings, and finally the Art and Culture gallery lets visitors study the works in terms of their cultural context. Besides these three galleries, you may wander through our Open Storeroom which will give you access to hundreds of works by institution and a cyberboutique offering a vast array of products.

We would like to make you aware of the presence of Francophone artists in Canadian collections and of the diversity of these collections. We would also like to arouse your curiosity so that you will want to go and see these works where they are permanently housed, that is in the following museums and galleries:

Galerie d'art de l'Université de Moncton, Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum, Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island, Musée Acadien de l'Université de Moncton, Musée d'art de Joliette, St. Boniface Museum, Willow Bunch Museum, Musée Maison Saint-Gabriel, Musée régional de Rimouski, and la Pulperie de Chicoutimi