In the catalog titled RÉSILIENCE of Louis Garneau’s 100 painted photo prints of cyclist Major Taylor, Garneau writes that he has been painting since he was young. He works in series to discover his own former Olympian cyclist limits of creativity and the edges of fatigue. When he learned of Whirlwind’s producer Cyrille Vincent’s project to create a semi live action documentary of Major Taylor, Garneau created 100 paintings in 24 hours to express the subject’s dreams and demons. He donated them to Vincent’s effort.
 
When I first encountered a single Major Taylor painting by Garneau in a private home, it created the desired effect. Each of the individual paintings are compelling works of art and engaging in their outburst of purpose. Garneau admits he is influenced by 20th Century Expressionism, and contemporary art. This series is deeply indebted to Andy Warhol who hand painted over silk screened photo image portraits. Garneau’s works are each as compelling and engaging as a marching band fanfare for his subject.
 
Taylor would wear an American flag bandana around his waist when competing in Europe or Australia, and wave it above his head when cycling the winner’s loop after many races. Garneau’s works include stars and stripes in various forms to acknowledge that frequent event.
The photo image of Taylor that is the center and base of each painting is a brilliant frontal of this Black world champion athlete from 1896-1904. The painted outlines, stripes, stenciled stars added by Garneau are clearly and beautifully stated homage by this artist between cyclists across the centuries.
 
Madeleine Lord, artist, sculptor and regional correspondent for Artscope Magazine