York University
Art Collection Online

Francois Dallegret (1937– ) is a contemporary and postwar artist, designer, and architect. Dallegret was born in Morocco and studied architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts de Paris. His research and artistic practice explore the intersections of architecture, literature, fine art, and technology.

Over the course of Dallegret’s long-lasting career, his work has been grounded in breaking down the boundaries between contemporary art, design, life, and technology. Dallegret moved from Paris to New York in 1963 and from New York to Montreal the following year to pioneer innovative projects.

While in New York, he created a collection of highly detailed technical illustrations to accompany Renyer Banham’s publication of “A Home is Not a House” in Art of America (1965). This series was the first project to gain him international attention.

Later in 1965, while he was still living in New York, Dallegret was invited to participate in preparing for Expo 67, which prompted his initial visit to Montreal. After being in Montreal for about two weeks, he was offered his first architectural commission to design a drugstore in downtown Montreal. Le Drug, as it was called, was a pharmacy and multipurpose building which included a cafe, art gallery, theatre, and dance hall. After Le Drug, and for the remainder of the 1960s and 70s, Dallegret became known as a prominent member of the architectural avant-garde in Canada.

Dallegret has completed several public art installations in North America as well as France. His work has also been collected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Centre Pompidou in Paris, National Gallery of Canada, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, and Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.