Dennis Tourbin

Biography | Gallery | CV

Few saw life through the same lens as the often controversial, always inspirational artist Dennis Tourbin (1946-1998). Dennis was a poet, painter, performance artist, novelist, and art and poetry-magazine publisher. He was active in the artist-run centres network since the early days; he was a founding member of the Niagara Artists’ Center, he has run Gallery 101 in Ottawa, in addition to have been Chairman of the Board of Artspace in Peterborough.   Dennis was a key part of the development of the lively regional art scene since the seventies; he felt that artists have a profound connection to their communities and drew their inspiration from them.

Dennis explored the area between painting and literature and moved the word beyond the printed page, examining the explosion of media and its impact on the way we see and perceive things. He referred to his paintings as visual poetry, and he had deloped a multi-media form which he called a painted play. Dennis was also­ best known for his work on the 1970 October Crisis and­ left a lasting mark on a generation of artists.

His numerous works are exhibited, published, and performed throughout North America, and Europe. His works can be found in the National Gallery of Canada, the Canada Council Art Bank, the National Archives of Canada, and dozens of private and public collections throughout Canada, such as the Charlottetown Confederation Centre for the Arts, Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound and the Art Gallery of Peterborough.

Nadia Laham, February 2006


photo by Peter S. Wing