Who is Jean-François Bélisle?
Jean-François Bélisle is the director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. He has directed and curated exhibitions across eight countries and is considered an important promoter of Canadian art.
What is his background?
Bélisle has a master’s degree in art history from Concordia University. He has headed many art initiatives, particularly in Québec, where in 2011 he co-founded Arsenal Contemporary Art. There are now three Arsenal centres in Toronto, Montreal and New York, aiming to develop and promote Canadian contemporary artists. Following that, he became executive director and chief-curator of the Musée d’art de Joliette (MAJ), from 2016 to 2023 before being named the director and CEO of the National Gallery.
“I think the future of art in Canada is a brilliant one,” Bélisle said in an interview for Concordia University. “I always thought Canadian artists were underrepresented in the international scene for the quality of art that was being produced here. Hopefully, with this new position, I can help that a little bit.”
What is he known for in Ottawa?
Bélisle was appointed director and CEO of the National Art Gallery of Canada, on July 17, 2023.
“He’s a very nice man, a peacemaker,” said Martha Langford, a research professor at Concordia University who supervised Bélisle’s master’s thesis. “When he took over the gallery,” she noted, “it certainly needed a good dose of pleasantness … It was in quite a turmoil.”
“Four of its senior people had been suddenly let go. There was a plan that was brought in over [the heads of] the staff, it didn’t emanate from staff. And the [previous] director was there for a very short time, [and] made a lot of changes, I get the impression without much consultation” she said.
Bélisle brought new perspectives after a tumultuous 2022 for the National Gallery. In a statement, he said he wanted to ensure the institution was “a fantastic force for good.”
“I think we’re talking about somebody with a very clear idea about what he could contribute, and he set about [finding a way],” said Langford.
What’s something people don’t know about Jean-François Bélisle?
Bélisle helped build his family a cottage in the Quebec wilderness from the ground up.
