Romeo Savoie
Published Saturday July 4th, 2009
Artist, architect, writer says his favourite works of art change as time flies. 'Right now I would pick a painting from Anselm Kiefer.'
q Age?
a I was born in Moncton in 1928.
q Provenance?
a I studied architecture in Montreal, then came back to Moncton to practise my profession in 1959.
q Why art?
a In 1962, I purchased the partnership, moved to the north of the province and, in 1964, I left for Europe and travelled from Finland to Sicily. I understood architecture but became fascinated with art. I returned to France in 1970 to learn more about this fascination. When I came back, I opened an art studio and have been there since.
q When was your breakthrough moment?
a When I went to France. I was interested in the art-making process.
q What would you be if you weren't an artist?
a I can't imagine being someone else. I am still fascinated by the whole creative process. So much so that in 1985 I returned to Montreal and got a masters of fine arts.
q Your current obsession?
a To create a painting that could stand next to some of the great paintings of our time, like Rauschenberg's Barge, Picasso's Chute d'Icare, Kiefer's Jerusalem 1986, Schnabel's Hat Full of Rain, Rebecca Horn's Concert for Anarchy, or an installation by Joseph Beuys.
q What are you working on next?
a I would like to find a place to do an installation. This thought has been ringing in my ears for some time. I keep seeing images grouped on a large wall and attached to it something like a tree and different objects on the floor that are not related to one another. This idea has to emerge, but it seems that it is not ready to come forth. Like a birth. Sometimes it takes more than nine months.
q What place on earth inspires you?
a Firstly, I've not visited all the places in the world. Secondly, inspiration for me is about work, like working things out, and I can do that anywhere, but I do like Aix en Provence, in France, because I stayed there for 18 months working out a problem. In the winter I would prefer to be in a warmer climate.
q What place in New Brunswick inspires you?
a Right now I'm in Grand Barachois. It is near the sea, quiet, in nature, and I have a fine studio. I'm content with what I have. In fact, I'm lucky to be able to do what I'm doing.
q Secret indulgence?
a It would be music. Music has always interested me immensely. I love the work of Keith Jarrett, Ravel, Richard Strauss. Anything that is excellent. To give you an example, I was listening this morning to Kiri Te Kanawa singing the four last poems by Hermann Hess on music by Richard Strauss directed by Karayan. It just blows one's mind.
q Your favourite authors of fiction?
a Right now, in English, it would be David Baldacci. I do love thrillers and he is now the best in that field. But I do have other loves in literature - Ashbery, Kundera, Winterson, Duras, among others.
q What is your greatest extravagance?
a Going to museums around the world. I've just returned from Paris where I visited 13 exhibitions in 10 days. I'm now buzzing. It's like the right food at the right time. I was running out of gas. New Brunswick has few possibilities so that is why we have to take off and be replenished.
q What is your greatest fear?
a To be hated for no valid reason. I love people and I work for myself and for them and I don't make concessions easily, so everything has to be dealt with delicately.
q Greatest joy?
a To do my work next to the people I love.
q Your favourite painting on Earth and why?
a My loves do change as time flies. Right now I would pick a painting from Anselm Kiefer. The why is more delicate. He is, with the knowledge I have, one of the most thrilling artists around. To possess one of his, I would sit in front of it for days until I understood how it worked, then I would try to find another one that does the same thing. As I said before, I'm interested in the process rather than the object.
q Favourite painting by a New Brunswick artist?
a I would have to choose an installation piece by Rick Burns, even though I've not seen all of his work. Being in contemporary art, there are no contemporary art museums in New Brunswick, and limited shows of quality. The question is difficult to answer because of the area. In Canada, it is difficult to see the best because of distances, limited population and limited funds.
q What are you reading?
a Right now I am reading David Baldacci, Jane Hirshfield, Atiq Rahimi and John Ashbery.
q What's on your iPod?
a Nothing.
q What talent would you like to have?
a Right now I have a lot of difficulty handling the talents that I have in painting, writing and design. I don't have enough time, or money, to explore to the fullest all of these talents, so I really am concentrating on art mainly.
q What is the greatest public misconception about art?
a That abstract art, conceptual and installations can be done by any amateur. Canadians, in general, are still at the stage of wanting to see a recognizable image; the Impressionists would be their cup of tea. It takes more knowledge now to see and understand what is being proposed by contemporary artists.
q Your most treasured possession?
a I'm not interested in objects really. I have the best Savoie collection in the world, I have an adequate studio, a fine cottage house on an acre of land, two marvelous daughters and lovely friends.
q What is your motto?
a My daughters always tell me, in an ironic way, showing their open hands at waist level: "Life is life."
q How would you like to die?
a Amusing question. I'd have to say: Standing up.
q What is your favourite art museum?
a The Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain. It has one of the best contemporary collections in the world, and it is lodged in one of the most fascinating designs that I'm aware of, by architect Frank Ghery.
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