Canadian Pop Art Genius: Charles Pachter’s Iconic Designs and Paintings

By Viviana Puello

Charles Pachter is a Canadian pop art genius whose iconic designs and paintings have become renowned worldwide. His unique blend of symbolism and pop art creates masterpieces that feature iconic images of the Queen, moose, barns, and the Canadian maple leaf flag. With his vibrant colors and bold strokes, Charles Pachter has established himself as an icon of Canadian contemporary art.

Charles Pachter is a multi-talented individual who has produced works of art in different mediums, such as painting, printmaking, sculpting, design, history, and lecturing. His works have been exhibited all over the world and have been showcased in prestigious galleries and museums. He is a decorated artist who has received recognition from the government of Canada and France for his contribution to art. Pachter is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters. In addition, he holds honorary doctorates from Brock University, OCAD University, the University of Toronto, and Lakehead University, as well as the recipient of the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals.

Charles Pachter’s artwork is known for its ability to explore the reduction of an idea to its simplest and purest form. His messages are often sarcastic or mischievous yet subtle in their execution. Pachter’s style is deeply influenced by pop art, combining bold colors, iconic images, and humorous commentary on contemporary culture.

One of Pachter’s most famous works is the painting of the Queen on a moose, which he created in 1973. Although the image initially caused controversy among art critics and monarchists, it eventually became one of his most famous and remunerative images. As a result, Pachter’s painting has been widely reproduced on everything from T-shirts to posters.

In addition to the Queen on a moose, Pachter’s art features other iconic images, including the moose, barns, and the Canadian maple leaf flag. Each image represents a unique aspect of Canadian culture, and Pachter’s ability to combine these elements with pop art has made his artwork recognizable and loved worldwide.

Charles Pachter’s approach to art challenges traditional conversations around what constitutes “fine art.” He uses everyday items, like the Canadian flag and moose, to explore the cultural identity of Canada in a unique and eye-catching way. In challenging traditional conversations, Pachter also confronts the idea of high and low culture. By taking images and symbols typically considered “low culture” and transforming them into works of art, he shows that art can be accessible and relatable to everyone. Charles Pachter’s work challenges traditional conversations around art and culture and offers many ways to approach artistic expression.

Pachter’s work is deeply rooted in Canada’s cultural and historical identity. He uses popular Canadian icons, such as the moose, maple leaf flag, and the Queen, to create artworks that comment on the country’s national identity. His art showcases his appreciation for the many unique facets of Canadian identity.

Moreover, Pachter’s artwork explores the relationship between Canada’s natural landscapes and cultural identity. Through his use of bright colors and bold shapes, Pachter brings attention to the beauty of Canada’s natural landscapes, connecting nature and cultural identity.

Charles Pachter’s artistic skills are praised by audiences worldwide. He has a unique talent for creating artwork that seamlessly blends pop culture and symbolism to produce striking and unforgettable designs. His works have been praised for their bold and vibrant colors, giving them an energetic and lively feel. His work has also been recognized for its technical skill and innovative use of color. He is an adopter of silkscreen printing, using it to produce bold and colorful prints of his works.

Charles Pachter’s artistic skills have won him a devoted following of fans worldwide. His ability to create artwork that speaks to universal themes while also celebrating his Canadian heritage has helped to make him one of the most iconic Canadian artists of all time.

Beyond his journey as an artist, Charles Pachter’s legacy is far-reaching. His unique blend of pop art and Canadian symbolism has inspired countless artists, designers, and art lovers alike. His designs, featuring iconic images of the Queen, moose, barns, and the Canadian maple leaf flag, have become ingrained in the Canadian identity and pop culture.

Pachter’s contribution to Canadian contemporary art has been immense, and he has challenged traditional conversations about what it means to be Canadian. Through his art, he has created a new visual language that speaks to the heart of being Canadian, reimagining national symbols and blending them with pop art freshly and excitingly.

His influence has extended far beyond Canada’s borders, with exhibitions of his work being held worldwide, from the United States to China. Pachter’s art continues to be relevant and engaging, and his legacy will undoubtedly inspire future generations of Canadian artists.

“I’m a senior Canadian artist,painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian, and lecturer. I have often been described as a cross between Andy Warhol and David Hockney.

Over 60 years, I have had solo shows in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, India, and Bangladesh. Born in Toronto in 1942, I studied art history at the University of Toronto, French literature at the Sorbonne in Paris, and painting and graphics at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.

I worked at Expo 67 in Montreal, installing 60 contemporary sculptures worldwide, and taught printmaking at the University of Calgary from 1969-70. In the 1970s, I restored several old buildings in downtown Toronto into facilities for art usage. “Pachter has mythologized Canadian culture with wit, mischief, and acuity. His famous series of paintings of the Queen on a moose that examined the Monarchy from a Canadian perspective has earned him a reputation as a consummate symbolist painter.”

My paintings are in the Portrait Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, the Canada House in London, the Parliament Buildings, the Prime Minister’s residence, and the Embassy of France in Ottawa. My steel and granite moose

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ARTISTIC STYLE?

“Combination of pop and symbolism. “Pachter’s images of the Queen, moose, barns, and maple leaf flag are icons of Canadian contemporary art. His murals of HOCKEY KNIGHTS IN CANADA enhance Toronto’s College Subway Station.”

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

“I began with printmaking in the 60s and 70s, expanded to painting, (acrylic on canvas) from the 80s to the present.”

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER YOU WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST?

“From age two and onward.”

WHAT MESSAGE DOES YOUR WORK TRANSMIT TO YOUR AUDIENCE?

“My imagery is clear, concise, and graphic. I may have been Japanese in another life, as I like to explore the reduction of an idea to its simplest and purest form. My message is often sardonic or mischievous but subtle. For example, when I painted the Queen on a moose in 1973, it caused a scandal among art critics and monarchists but eventually became one of my most famous and remunerative images. When I met the Queen in London in

“Bay Watch” “Float”

2015, I gave her a postcard of her seated on a moose. She chuckled and said, “How Amusing!”

HAS ANY PART OF YOUR STORY INFLUENCED WHAT YOU DO NOW?

“I began with printmaking in the 60s and 70s, expanded to painting, (acrylic on canvas) from the 80s to the present.” https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=VUpxzfnu5zc

“In 1947 at age 4, I starred in a National Film Board movie, “JOHNNY AT THE FAIR,” where I played a lost boy at Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition, which had re-opened after the war.

It was a seminal moment in my childhood that led me to explore Canadian themes in my art as an adult. I did for the moose what Andy Warhol did for Marilyn Monroe. I made the moose GLAMOROUS.”

Charles Pachter is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters, and a recipient of the Order of Ontario. He holds honorary doctorates from Brock University, OCAD University, the University of Toronto, and Lakehead University. He has been awarded the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals.

McClelland & Stewart has published an illustrated book on his life and work by art historian Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov, (1992).

Cormorant Books has published The Illustrated Journals of Susanna Moodie, his celebrated collaboration with poet Margaret Atwood (2014), and his bestselling children’s books, M is for Moose and Canada Counts. A biography by Leonard Wise, CHARLES PACHTER: CANADA’S ARTIST, was published by Dundurn Press in 2017.