Jouets Lafrance Canadian, 1931-2006

Since 2010, David and Vincent Lafrance have been making wood carvings with the help of their father André Lafrance. These sculptures are reminiscent of traditional toys while remaining works of fine art. Diane Charbonneau of the MBAM writes on this matter: “As for the toy as an artistic object, (...) it holds a privileged place with the greatest artists and adults”. Lafrance toys are made entirely from recycled materials found in towns and villages and are hand-painted with premium acrylic paint.

Born in 1976, David Lafrance holds a BA in fine arts from Concordia University in Montreal. His work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and biennales in Canada, the United States, and France. His works are present in several private and public collections, including those of the City of Montreal, the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec (CPOA), the Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec, the Leonard and Bina Ellen Gallery (Québec), Hydro-Québec and the Desjardins Group. He lives and works in Montreal.

His brother, Vincent Lafrance, was born in 1978 and is a photographer and video artist. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University in photography. His work has been presented in Canada and Europe. His works are part of the Hydro-Québec art collection and several private collections in Canada and the United States. In 2014, he was awarded the Duke and the Duchess of York Prize in Photography by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Born in 1948, their father André Lafrance is a retired visual arts teacher and artisan (wooden toys and printed art). From 1974 to 1985, he sat on the board of directors and on the selection committee of the Richelieu artisans’ association. This association was founded by Georgette Beaupré, maternal grandmother of the brothers Lafrance.