File

This file focusses on the art and craft fair presented at Université de Montréal in 1941 and, to a lesser degree, the craft show presented in Trois-Rivières. It chronicles Clarence A. Gagnon's involvement in organizing the Montreal exhibition and his interest in Quebec handicrafts.

The file is largely composed of handwritten notes, with many pages devoted to the organization of the event. Gagnon sets forth the prime objective of this initiative: "To encourage the ongoing development of rural and urban crafts by providing the means for them to grow and adapt to the demands of modern life. Continuing this event without an appropriate formula, that is, leaving it to the whims of ineffective dilettantes and shameless exploitation by unscrupulous intermediaries, will only accelerate its decline." The first group of notes is a series of reflections about the formula to adopt, the participation of groups and schools, the arrangement of the rooms, the program, and the creation of a jury to judge and approve the exhibits proposed by artisans. There are also recommendations designed to ensure the visual harmony of the event as a whole, in addition to a rough draft of rules for exhibitors.

A second series of notes is entitled "Criticisms of exhibits at a handicrafts fair" and was perhaps taken on the spot as Gagnon walked through such a fair. There is a list of names of individuals, groups or institutions (i.e., École du meuble, Canadian Handicrafts, Master of Arts), accompanied by short comments, either in English or French, like "too many things," "horrible en tout point," "textiles bon, ensemble bien," bad arrangement," "good stuff, poorly arranged."

Finally, there are several pages of notes with a theoretical discussion of the unequal competition between industrial manufacturing and traditional handicrafts. The problem, as Gagnon writes, is not the introduction of machinery into manufacturing processes, but rather how this machinery is used to imitate handcrafted objects, a situation that, over time, could well discourage artisans. He then briefly describes initiatives conducted in Sweden and France to facilitate co-operation between these two groups and offers suggestions for stimulating artisans by maintaining the vitality of these old traditions while adapting them to modern life trends and requirements.

An invitation to the official opening of the Art and Craft Fair at Université de Montréal on June 14, 1941, and three press clippings complete the file. The first article, published in La Presse on June 24, 1941, focusses on what the writer considers the highlight of the fair: the scale model of a proposed historic village developed by Clarence A. Gagnon and architect Percy Roy Wilson for the celebrations commemorating Montreal's Tercentenary. The same day, La Patrie reported on the visit to the fair of the Governor General of Canada, the Earl of Athlone, and his wife, Princess Alice. A third press clipping documents the Trois-Rivières craft fair with a photo of Jean-Marie Gauvreau, Clarence A. Gagnon and Father Albert Tessier.