PHOTO ESSAY

That '60s Show

The National Gallery embraces the flower power decade

By Liz Hodgson

• 1
|
• 2
|
• 3
|
• 4
|
• 5
|
• 6
|
• 7
|
• 8
|
• 9
|
• 10

La raison avant la passion by Joyce Weiland. Courtesy National Gallery of Canada.

Joyce Wieland (1931-1998)
La raison avant la passion 1968
Quilted cotton

Women’s lib, Trudeaumania, the transformation of an everyday item into art – that’s a lot of symbolism for one blanket. Still, Wieland managed to deliver yet another powerful political message with a companion piece about diversity through language. Trudeau was the living antidote to the old, stodgy, grey-suited politician. With his glamour, youthful energy and sex appeal, he had qualities that a new generation of artists could relate to. So it makes sense that the former prime minister should end up owning Wieland’s French version of Reason over Passion — La raison avant la passion. (His family lent it to the National Gallery for the purpose of this show). Trudeau made bilingualism official in this country. Making the quilt in two languages was a powerful symbol of that gesture. Again, Leclerc is thrilled by the many ways the piece can be interpreted. “I love the irony. Here’s a man who insists on placing reason over passion and yet, the political passion he created. It’s a beautiful paradox.”