WHAT is TOUTOUNE?
Toutoune is a gallery & shop run by artist Ginette Angele Lapalme.
You can contact her at toutoune.gallery@gmail.com although she is currently not taking submissions for art shows or for new consignment.
Q: What does ‘Toutoune’ mean?
A: Toutoune is a franco-canadian term of endearment. It is a playful word meaning ‘chubby’ and is most often used in regards to women, babies and pets. To me it is also evocative of the word ‘toutou’ which is used to refer to soft toys.
My maternal grandmother Lilian Sicard (nee Carriere) was always known to me and in our family as ‘Memere Toutoune’.
This space is named in honour of her.
Toutoune Gallery is an extension of G.A.L.’s curatorial and artistic practice and often doubles as her studio space.
‘I am most comfortable stocking work by creators who I have had longstanding relationships with that I consider my art-family. Many are long-time friends (both local and abroad), as well as new people I have come to know and trust. On occasion I will invite artists that I really admire, whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in person (yet).’
-G.A.L.Toutoune Gallery carries original art, prints, stickers, books, zines, apparel, jewelry, art objects, toys, vintage novelty goods and much more!
What ties a lot of the work together is a sense of playfulness, a penchant for the ‘cartoonish’ and what’s perhaps most apparent is the abundance of bright and neon colours. Maximalists will very much enjoy visiting this space. : o )
Toutoune Timeline...
The shop first opened on October 8th, 2021 with the help of a KoyamaProvides grant. (I will be forever grateful for Annie Koyama’s help, her encouragement and her friendship!)
From October, 2021 until August,2023 this space hosted rotating art shows on an (almost) monthly basis. From September, 2023 onward G.A.L. has pivoted slightly by taking a break from holding art show openings and events to better focus on expanding the amount of books and artist-made goods on hand. The shop has been filling out very nicely compared to its somewhat sparsely stocked beginning.
The Gallery very recently started holding events again, which included an evening book launch with Marisa Fulper Estrada (Nov 2024) and a free drop-in button making workshop (Jan 2025). Toutoune will soon be hosting artist Sylvie Rancourt (March 8th, 2025) who will be visiting from Quebec with her many paintings and her self-published French-language Melody comic series. Please view the events tab here or our instagram account for more info!
New, in December 2024, an extended back-room has ben unveiled where there is currently the following art show on view: Buby Collection by Ginette Angele Lapalme.
Click here to see info on past, present and future shows/events.
Press:
Applied Arts Q&A (Feb 2022)
Cornelia Magazine (Feb 2024)