Repentigny's art centre marks 10 years with Marc Séguin show

The Centre d'art Diane-Dufresne in Repentigny is celebrating 10 years with a sweeping exhibition of Marc Séguin's work spanning 1992 to 2025, on view through September.

The gallery, designed by architect Maxime-Alexis Frappier, anchors Repentigny's cultural axis—a carefully planned urban pathway that connects the Robert-Lussier Library, through the Espace culturel and its water gardens, to Île-Lebel Park and views of the St. Lawrence River. The Alphonse-Desjardins Theatre joined the complex five years ago, cementing the city's cultural infrastructure for its 91,000 residents.

"Repentigny really wants to position itself as a city where culture is everywhere," said Brigitte Lacroix, the centre's visual arts director. The exhibition, curated by Sylvie Lacerte, showcases the hallmarks that made Séguin's work iconic: plane crashes, wolves, ruins, ecclesiastical critique, and his mastery of drawing. A room is dedicated to women in his paintings—the sculptor Camille Claudel, the spy Mata Hari, friends, and Jeanne d'Arc, his latest inspiration.

Seguin, who visited the centre, emphasized his belief that art should radiate beyond major cities. "I'm anti-unicentricity," he said. "I'd like there to be exhibition centres like this in Sept-Îles too. Not everyone wants to make the trip to the city. Art needs to thrive outside concentration." A permanent public sculpture, Louve Solstice, will remain on the Espace culturel grounds for decades to come.