History

François Rochon, founder and president of portfolio management firm Giverny Capital, has been involved in the arts and culture community for many years. Since 2001, he has been collecting contemporary art to support and promote local creation. Passionate about contemporary art, François Rochon sees art as a reflection of an era. He selects major works by Quebec, Canadian and international artists that he hopes will stand the test of time.

From the very start of the collection, the offices of Giverny Capital were converted to house part of it. To date, the offices house over 200 works of art. These unusual workspaces create bridges between art and business.

The continuity of the artistic practices that form part of the Giverny Capital Collection is ensured by a series of exhibition projects aimed at a wider public. Since 2007, the Prix Giverny Capital has been highlighting the work of a mid-career Quebec artist whose practice has received little or no recognition from the art world. This biennial prize is accompanied by a $10,000 bursary, to encourage excellence, originality and artistic strength.

In 2016, the Giverny Foundation for Contemporary Art was established. This nonprofit organization promotes contemporary art practices and helps make the arts more accessible in Quebec.

In 2022, the Fondation Giverny inaugurated its first public exhibition space in a former industrial building at 3333 Crémazie Est, now owned by Ateliers 3333, revitalized to house dozens of studios and creative spaces. The space, close by the Saint-Michel metro station, is dedicated to presenting annual exhibitions. This off-center location of 3333 allows the Foundation to expand the arts circuit and reach a wider audience. 

With 5,000 square feet of exhibition space, L’Observatoire opened in 2024 as a three-story house designed by architect Pierre Thibault. It is located in the mountains of Shefford, about an hour south of Montreal. When François Rochon founded Giverny Capital, a wealth management firm, in 1998, he drew inspiration from Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, which he visited during a trip to France in 1990. This visit had a profound impact on his future involvement in the art world, sparking the dream of creating a venue that balanced contemplation with disruption. L'Observatoire is the realization of this vision: a three-story residence overlooking lush vegetation, offering a space that invites reflection while showcasing bold, striking works.