Civilization.ca - Bronfman Collection

S.U.V. I - CMC 2004.102.3 - Photograph: Pierre Gauvin

2004 RECIPIENT

Maurice Savoie — Ceramist

Longueuil — Quebec

S.U.V. I, 2003
Porcelain, bronze and glass
Bronfman Collection, CMC 2004.102.3
Photograph: Pierre Gauvin

Photograph: Richard Robitaille

In bestowing this important award, the committee wishes to recognize Maurice Savoie's outstanding career as a pioneer in the field of ceramics. For more than 50 years, Maurice Savoie's work has raised the profile of Canadian ceramics well beyond the borders of this country. By daring to ignore entrenched conventions of his craft, he opened new possibilities for later generations.

Selection Committee Statement

Maurice Savoie is one of Canada's pre-eminent ceramic artists whose career in Canada and abroad has spanned more than 50 years. Born in Sherbrooke in 1930, Savoie began his training in 1948 at the École du meuble in Montreal. Between 1949 and 1989 he continued his studies at the École des beaux-arts in Montreal, at ceramic studios in Faenza and Rome, Italy, and more recently at the École nationale d'art décoratif de Limoges, France.

Maurice Savoie's ceramic production has been multifaceted. Beginning in the 1960s, Savoie created works for architectural settings, including the Quebec Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. He also designed pieces for small-scale production by SIAL Limited in Laval in the 1970s. Using clay and varied materials, in his studio practice Savoie creates works of magic such as toy-like objects and mythological beasts that often comment on everyday situations.