SDC du Village / Memory Holes

Louis Gagnon

During the summer, "Aires Libres" transforms Sainte-Catherine St into a pedestrian street and open-air gallery to promote the Gay Village neighbourhood. Six immense and luminous black and white panels were erected and pierced in the center. Depending on the passers-by’ location, they could see illustrations or words which were unreadable from another position. Invited to wander through those nebulous dream-like images, people took true pleasure in discovering the installation’s hidden treasures.

Images of SDC du Village / Memory Holes

  1. Image 1 — IMG 2309 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  2. Image 2 — IMG 2316 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  3. Image 3 — IMG 2384 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  4. Image 4 — IMG 2423 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  5. Image 5 — IMG 5513 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  6. Image 6 — IMG 5531 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  7. Image 7 — IMG 5582 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)
  8. Image 8 — IMG 5616 (SDC du Village / Memory Holes)

    Louis Gagnon, Canada (2010)

    After completing a bachelor’s degree in graphic communications from Laval University in Québec City, Louis Gagnon began his career as an art director at Graphème (Cossette), where he became creative...

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    • SDC du Village / Memory Holes, 2013

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    During the summer, "Aires Libres" transforms Sainte-Catherine St into a pedestrian street and open-air gallery to promote the Gay Village neighbourhood. Six immense and luminous black and white panels were erected and pierced in the center. Depending on the passers-by’ location, they could see illustrations or words which were unreadable from another position. Invited to wander through those nebulous dream-like images, people took true pleasure in discovering the installation’s hidden treasures.

    • Client:

    • SDC du Village
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    • Countries:

    • Disciplines:

    • Details:

    • Installation

    After completing a bachelor’s degree in graphic communications from Laval University in Québec City, Louis Gagnon began his career as an art director at Graphème (Cossette), where he became creative director. After then working at design agency Nolin Larosée, Louis cofounded Paprika with Joanne Lefebvre in 1991. Today, as vice-president of creation, Louis has more than 1,000 national and international awards to his name. The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec has acquired over 20 of his works for its permanent collection.

    In 2007, Pyramyd released Paprika, the first book dedicated to a North American agency, in its “Design & Designer” collection. Three years later, the Parisian gallery Anatome, paid tribute to Paprika with an exhibition of its work.

    For the last 18 years, Louis has been a course instructor at the Ecole de Design of the University of Québec at Montréal, where he has been sharing his passion for timeless design that sparks the imagination with students.

    In 2023, he received the highest Canadian distinction, the Les Usherwood Award, for a lifetime of excellence in the field of design and communication.

    Exhibitions

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    The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Québec

    20 works were acquired by the museum for its permanent collection

    Paprika-Seripop. Un regard graphique sur Montréal

    2010

    Anatome, Paris

    Parisian gallery Anatome, one of Europe's leading centers for contemporary graphic design, pays tribute to two Montreal-based graphic design firms, Paprika and Seripop, with an exhibition of their work.

    Agencies

    plus
    • Nolin Larosée, Montreal

    • Graphème (Cossette), Québec

    Awards

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    • 2023

    Les Usherwood Award

    Other Professional Activities

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    • Course Instructor at École de Design of the University of Québec at Montréal

      2003 – present

    • Jury President of the Grafika Annual Graphic Competition

      2000, 2016 – present

    • The One Show, Jury member

      2011 – present

    • Judge for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

      2010 – present

    • Judge for the Art Directors Club of New York

      2004, 2010 – present

    • Judge for Communication Arts

      2001 – present