{"id":5979,"date":"2026-06-23T14:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/?post_type=mjm_exhibition&#038;p=5979"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:59:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T17:59:17","slug":"the-past-is-before-you","status":"publish","type":"mjm_exhibition","link":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/exhibition\/the-past-is-before-you\/","title":{"rendered":"The Past is Before You"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"mjm-general-info mjm-general-info--columns-1-1 mjm-general-info--has-top-separator\">\n            <div class=\"mjm-general-info__inner\">\n                \n                <div class=\"mjm-general-info__grid\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-general-info__column mjm-general-info__column--left\"><div class=\"mjm-general-info__left-title\" style=\"--mjm-general-info-left-title-font-family:&quot;KF Zuka Regular&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;--mjm-general-info-left-title-line-height:1.2\"><p><b>How can exploring a family archive transform our understanding of the collective present?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i>The Past Is Before You<\/i>\u00a0explores this question by considering how memories can be examined, reimagined and even uplifted, shedding new light on the artist\u2019s personal history.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n                <div class=\"mjm-general-info__column mjm-general-info__column--right\" style=\"--mjm-general-info-right-font-family:&quot;KF Zuka Regular&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;--mjm-general-info-right-line-height:1.2\"><div class=\"mjm-general-info__right-content\"><p>An exercise in catharsis, Arnie Lipsey\u2019s paintings forgo linear time, choosing instead to collapse the past, present, and future. Each work begins with an archival family photograph, and branches out into thematic explorations of war, survival, immigration, family life, as well as leisure. Lipsey\u2019s paintings depict everyday Jewish life in Eastern Europe and Montreal from his family\u2019s vantage point, highlighting stories transmitted across generations that are simultaneously loving, comforting, humorous, and haunting.<\/p>\n<p>Evoking the spirit of magical realism, Lipsey\u2019s dreamlike compositions lie somewhere along the boundaries of fantasy and reality: saturated hues replace the black-and-white source material, and figures are posed in the midst of often-surreal and multi-temporal settings. By filling in the blanks of family lore, it feels logical that Lipsey\u2019s compositions lean into the absurd and surreal. Lipsey\u2019s paintings call into question the potential of art as a tool to grasp ancestral memories that are not entirely our own.<\/p>\n<p>To some \u2013 and especially among those Jewish families who experienced displacement and have a limited historical record \u2013 the family photo album is a private, even sacred, object. In vivid colour,\u00a0<i>The Past Is Before You<\/i>\u00a0demonstrates alternative methods and new possibilities for preserving the family archive.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n<section class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel\" style=\"--mjm-gallery-carousel-creator-font-size:clamp(0.63rem, 0.708vw, 0.708rem);--mjm-gallery-carousel-title-font-family:&quot;KF Zuka Regular Italic&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;--mjm-gallery-carousel-description-font-size:clamp(1.071rem, 1.2036vw, 1.2036rem)\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Gallery carousel\">\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__nav\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Gallery carousel controls\">\n                <button class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__nav-button mjm-gallery-carousel__nav-button--prev\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Previous item\" hidden>\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__arrow-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/mjm-theme\/assets\/images\/Arrow_Left.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" \/>\n                <\/button>\n                <button class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__nav-button mjm-gallery-carousel__nav-button--next\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Next item\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__arrow-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/mjm-theme\/assets\/images\/Arrow_Right.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" \/>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__viewport\" tabindex=\"0\">\n                <ul class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__track\" role=\"list\"><li class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item-inner\"><div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Arnie_Lipsey_Look_Out_300-1-1024x680.webp\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/div>\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__content\"><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__creator\">Arnie Lispey<\/p><h3 class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__title\">Look Out<\/h3><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__description\">Acrylic on canvas<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/li><li class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item-inner\"><div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Arnie-Lipsey_In-the-Garden300-1361x2048-1-681x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/div>\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__content\"><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__creator\">Arnie Lipsey<\/p><h3 class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__title\">In the Garden<\/h3><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__description\">Acrylic on canvas<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/li><li class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item-inner\"><div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Arnie-Lipsey_Person-to-Person_300-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/div>\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__content\"><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__creator\">Arnie Lispey<\/p><h3 class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__title\">Person to Person<\/h3><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__description\">Acrylic on canvas<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/li><li class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__item-inner\"><div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__image\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Arnie-Lipsey_The-Pastry-Chef_300-811x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/div>\n            <div class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__content\"><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__creator\">Arnie Lipsey<\/p><h3 class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__title\">The Pastry Chef<\/h3><p class=\"mjm-gallery-carousel__description\">Acrylic on canvas<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/li><\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n\n<section class=\"mjm-creators-statement\" style=\"--mjm-creators-statement-background-color:#FF5C00;--mjm-creators-statement-text-color:#000000;background-color:#FF5C00;--mjm-creators-statement-title-font-family:&quot;KF Zuka Regular&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" data-mjm-creators-statement>\n            <div class=\"mjm-creators-statement__inner\">\n                <div class=\"mjm-creators-statement__left\">\n                    <div class=\"mjm-creators-statement__nav\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Creator statement sections\">\n                        <button class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger mjm-creators-statement__trigger--statement is-active\" type=\"button\" data-panel=\"statement\" data-mjm-creators-statement-trigger aria-controls=\"mjm-creators-statement-1statement\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-current=\"true\"><span class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger-text\">Artists&#039; Statements<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__control-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/mjm-theme\/assets\/images\/go_to_arrow.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" \/><\/button>\n<button class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger mjm-creators-statement__trigger--biography is-inactive\" type=\"button\" data-panel=\"biography\" data-mjm-creators-statement-trigger aria-controls=\"mjm-creators-statement-1biography\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-current=\"false\"><span class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger-text\">Artist&#039;s Biography<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__control-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/mjm-theme\/assets\/images\/go_to_arrow.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" \/><\/button>\n<button class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger mjm-creators-statement__trigger--credits is-inactive\" type=\"button\" data-panel=\"credits\" data-mjm-creators-statement-trigger aria-controls=\"mjm-creators-statement-1credits\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-current=\"false\"><span class=\"mjm-creators-statement__trigger-text\">Credits &amp; Acknowledgement<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__control-icon\" src=\"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/mjm-theme\/assets\/images\/go_to_arrow.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" \/><\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"mjm-creators-statement__right\">\n                    <div class=\"mjm-creators-statement__content-stack\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n                        <div id=\"mjm-creators-statement-1statement\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__content-panel is-active\" data-panel=\"statement\"><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My work explores an interior landscape, excavating imagery for meaning, and\u00a0attempting\u00a0to understand the present by examining the past. My paintings use portraiture, narrative, psychoanalytic dream imagery, and free association to examine questions of identity, family history, and the relationship between the personal and the universal. My work uses archival family photographs as a point of departure for this inquiry into the psychological patterns that under-gird family mythologies. Issues of war, survival,\u00a0immigration\u00a0and second-generation trauma are also explored. Echoes\u00a0still remain\u00a0of a childhood spent in the culturally bifurcated world of Jewish Montreal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I re-imagine black-and-white source material as full-colour imagery, heightening visual impact while bringing the past into the present. Through this layered exploration of family dynamics and biography, the viewer may initially see these images as benign or nostalgic, only to have their sense of comfort upended by surreal elements that are sometimes humorous, sometimes foreboding. The viewer is invited to witness the emotional specificity of someone else\u2019s family, and then relate it to the mythologies of their own. My paintings are suffused with magic realism, and are further influenced by neoclassicism, commercial advertising, storybook art, and a design sense borne of my career in animation.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"mjm-creators-statement-1biography\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__content-panel\" data-panel=\"biography\" hidden><p>The son of European-Jewish immigrants, Arnie Lipsey was born and raised in Montreal, and is a graduate of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School of Art and Design where he majored in Film Animation. After working for a period in the nascent Israeli animation industry, he relocated to Toronto in 1978 where he had a decades-long career in animation for film and television. Working in the classical mode (as director, animator, designer, and storyboard artist) using pencil and paper, he later made a successful transition to digital technologies. Arnie augmented his commercial work with independent filmmaking, producing two animated shorts that have been screened internationally. In 2018, he returned to his early artistic discipline: painting. He has exhibited and won awards in juried exhibitions and curated group shows in Ontario and Florida, and participated as an arts grants juror in St. Petersburg.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"mjm-creators-statement-1credits\" class=\"mjm-creators-statement__content-panel\" data-panel=\"credits\" hidden><p><strong>ARTIST<\/strong><br \/>Arnie Lipsey<\/p>\n<p><strong>ARTISTIC DIRECTOR<\/strong><br \/>Alyssa Stokvis-Hauer<\/p>\n<p><strong>GRAPHIC DESIGN<\/strong><br \/>Austin Henderson<\/p>\n<p><strong>CURATORS<br \/><\/strong>Alyssa Stokvis-Hauer<br \/>Austin Henderson<br \/>Taryn Fleishchmann\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>TRANSLATION<\/strong><br \/>Benoit Pelletier<\/p>\n<p><strong>CONTRACTOR<br \/><\/strong>Kayl Doble, Paint MTL<br \/>Shopdogs MTL<\/p>\n<p><strong>PRINTING<\/strong><br \/>MFBB Lettrage Photolab\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <br \/>Papetrie Zoubris<\/p><\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":5996,"template":"","mjm_exhibition_type":[86],"class_list":["post-5979","mjm_exhibition","type-mjm_exhibition","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mjm_exhibition_type-contemporary-art-exhibition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mjm_exhibition\/5979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mjm_exhibition"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mjm_exhibition"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mjm_exhibition\/5979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mjm_exhibition_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/museejuifmontreal.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mjm_exhibition_type?post=5979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}