Without a doubt one of the most important Canadian photographers of the 20th century, Guy Borremans died on December 29. Known not only as a photographer, but also as a teacher, filmmaker and photo director, he was 78 years old.

Born in Dinant, Belgium, in 1934, Borremans was a self-taught photographer with a deep interest in jazz and Surrealism. His father, gassed during the First World War, decided to flee from the second German advance with his family, crossing Belgium, France and Spain before settling in Morocco. The Borremans emigrated to Quebec in November 1951.

Guys Borreans had a passion for the visual arts. He began early, presenting a first exhibition of his photographs in 1956. The following year, his work went on display at L’Actuelle gallery in Montreal. He took inspiration from artists who employed automatism and produced non-figurative art. It was at this time that Borremans befriended many great artists and intellectuals of his generation, including the poet Claude Gauvreau, the filmmaker Gilles Groulx and the writer Hubert Aquin.

Jean-François Nadeau

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