Chapleau, Profession: Cartoonist

Explore the world of Serge Chapleau in the first major retrospective devoted to the creative work of this icon of cartooning. With his incisive pen and devilishly sharp strokes, Chapleau shows us the hilarious side of Quebec society. Politicians, celebrities and other public figures—everyone is fair game for the Montreal cartoonist’s scathing humour.

50 Years of  Popular Culture in Cartoons

The exhibition, which features over 150 original cartoons, sketches and illustrations, reveals unknown facets of this multidisciplinary artist. The cartoons, the real stars of the show, have been selected to document the main topics, including the follies of his youth, his sources of graphic inspiration, his irreverent portraits, how his drawing technique has evolved as seen through the lens of his editorial cartoons and, of course, the various incarnations of his iconic character, Gérard D. Laflaque.

With the focus inevitably on satire, the exhibition looks back at 50 years of Quebec popular culture and current affairs.

Serge Chapleau

Born in Montreal in 1945, Serge was the youngest in a family of seven – all boys. Chapleau often jokes that on the day he made his appearance, six years after his youngest brother, his father left the hospital a disappointed man. Raised in the working-class neighbourhood that would later be dubbed La Petite‐Patrie, he has often compared his childhood to the one portrayed in Jean-Claude Lauzon’s film Léolo, but minus the poetry. Drawing nevertheless occupied a major place in the modest family home on Drolet Street, and it was there that Serge learned the rudiments of what would become his profession.

After studies at the École des beaux-arts de Montréal and subsequent work experience in graphic art, he began making his name as a cartoonist, working for a wide range of publications and eventually becoming, in 1996, cartoonist for La Presse.