Montreal (QC), February 5, 2015 – “Revealed” by Sofitel, a photography exhibition that takes an intimate look at the world’s greatest modern artists at work, is now open to the public at Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile and will run through March 27, 2015. The 30-plus compelling images were curated by Olivier Widmaier Picasso, grandson of Pablo Picasso and author of Picasso: Portrait Intime, from the collection of French weekly magazine Paris Match. The photos are on display in the hotel’s restaurant, bar and lobby.
Among the prized photographs are a black-and-white image of Pablo Picasso eyeing a Dalmatian longing to climb onto his lap, Salvador Dalí painting at the Paris Zoo, Jeff Koons styling a BMW for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Pierre Soulages crouching over a work in progress, Kees van Dongen painting a posing Brigitte Bardot, and other striking images of René Magritte, Marc Chagall, Fernando Botero, Joan Miró, Jean Cocteau, Francis Bacon and others.
“We are delighted to host this exclusive exhibit in our city over the next seven weeks,” expressed Stéphanie Segoura, general manager of Sofitel Montreal. “Honouring iconic artists of our time, “Revealed” affords guests a window into the environments in which their work and genius flourished. It celebrates culture, which is one of Sofitel’s important brand pillars - along with gastronomy and design – and enables us to offer a superior guest experience at Sofitel Montreal that goes well beyond the typical hotel stay.”
The exhibition has also inspired “Les Couleurs Gourmandes de Picasso,” a special menu created by Executive Chef Olivier Perret and served at the hotel’s Le Renoir. Chef Perret collaborated with French designer Jean-Gabriel Causse to create exquisite dishes in the colours of Picasso’s most famous paintings. The menu includes a harmony of blues on a dish of oyster velouté and blue mussels; Maine scallops with granny smith apple, trumpets of death and a porto reduction from the rose period; Cubist expression of a Miboulay farm pigeon cooked on a chest; Surrealist flounder fillet a la Plancha; Mimolette Demoiselles d’Avignon, ciel de Charlevoix and 1608 cheeses; and dessert is a gouache of fruit coulis on a printed canvas, to be coloured in whichever way inspires you.
Les Couleurs Gourmandes de Picasso menu is available as a five-course prix fixe for $75 excluding tax and service, and will be available through February 13th.
“Revealed” will travel next to Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills (April 2015 to early June 2015), ending its five-city tour across the U.S. and Canada. The exhibit was launched at Sofitel New York in June 2014 and displayed last year at Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square and Sofitel Chicago Water Tower.