Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: June 29, 2005
• Invested on: November 18, 2005

Rita Letendre is a pioneer of abstract art in Quebec and one of the leading figures of contemporary painting in Canada. When she burst onto the scene in the 1950s, she quickly took her place among the most promising artists of her generation. Over the years she has developed a rich artistic vocabulary and explored all manner of styles and techniques, mastering them all. Her works are found in both private and public collections and have been shown around the world, including her celebrated "arrow" paintings, which helped to cement her reputation. These impressive, luminous trajectories inhabit such places as Ryerson University in Toronto and California State University in Long Beach. Her paintings have been featured in many exhibitions, including retrospectives that speak to the role of this bold artist in the history of visual arts.