Franck Calard

A recent graduate of a master's degree in Art History at Sorbonne University, Franck Calard was able to benefit from the Sorbonne University Foundation's Passport to Mobility scholarship program during his studies. From discovering Quebec’s culture to earning his master’s degree in art history, Franck embarked on an international journey.

Tell us about your background. What led you to study art history?

I became aware of art history when I was a high school student at the Sacré Coeur convent in Privas, Ardèche. While preparing my literary baccalaureate, I decided to choose the art option in order to broaden my general cultural knowledge while also looking for a way to express my nomadic culture, my father being Yenish. When it was time to think about university, I applied directly to Sorbonne University. Once accepted into a bachelor's program in art history, I decided to do a bachelor's simultaneously in visual arts at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. I then did an Erasmus exchange program at the University of Milan before starting my master's degree in art history at Sorbonne University. When I returned to France, I became interested in Parisian stained glass and then focused on the study of Quebec stained glass in my preparation for a master's degree in heritage and local development at Le Mans University.

Why did you choose to do an international exchange program in Montreal? 

After completing my first year master's thesis on the stained glass windows of the Basilica of Notre-Dame des Victoires in Paris, I wanted to deepen my knowledge of contemporary stained glass windows for my second year thesis. I was specifically interested in contemporary stained glass from Quebec, which is particularly extensive in the Montreal subway. 
The main objective of my mobility project was to study these stained glass windows directly on site, to consult their archives and to get in touch with specialists of the history of art in Quebec. This mobility took place in two phases, a first phase from August to October 2020 and then from November 2020 to April 2021, including an exchange at the University of Montreal. 

What does the Passport to Mobility scholarship mean to you?

First of all, the grant allowed me to travel to Canada! This exchange program was an opportunity to meet many professors from well-known Quebec universities: Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Concordia University, and McGill University. Of course, I had the chance to consult the archives of the Société de Transport de Montréal in person that were directly related to my subject of study, while simultaneously visiting the studios of artists who participated in the construction of the Montreal subway. I was also able to finance a trip to Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Joliette, L'Assomption and Repentigny in order to visit the archives of Université Laval as well as the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec. 
In the end, I was able to achieve all of my objectives. Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic was a major obstacle for my work - some archives were not accessible - but my presence in the field, i.e. in Quebec, was a great help! 

What projects are you currently working on?

At the moment, I have the opportunity to prepare my thesis while also being a research and teaching assistant for the University of Montreal and the Centre de Recherche Interuniversitaire sur la Littérature et la Culture Québécoises. At the same time, I am a cultural mediator at the Site Historique Marguerite-Bourgeoys, and I will curate an exhibition on stained glass at the Musée des Métiers d'Art du Québec by September 2022. I want to devote my career to the study and conservation of 19th and 20th century stained glass in Quebec and Canada.
Looking back, I recognize that this mobility experience was essential to my understanding of my core subject and to the validation of my second year master's thesis. The scholarship gave me the means to conclude my research while preparing me for my doctorate. So I can say that if I am currently working on a PhD thesis in art history at the University of Montreal, it is partly thanks to the Passport scholarship program! 

What message do you have for patrons and donors who are currently involved in funding the Passport scholarship programs, and more broadly for a patron or donor considering supporting the program?

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the patrons and donors. In the context of a university environment, with budgetary restrictions and reduced aid, the Passport scholarship programs represent a real asset for students wishing to carry out a project abroad. Participating in international mobility programs enables students and professors alike to open their eyes to fields that were previously unknown to them. In my case, the history of the art of stained glass in Quebec had never been discussed at the Faculty of Letters of Sorbonne University despite the presence of some of the members of the French committee of the Corpus Vitrearum at Sorbonne University, or of the Centre d'Études Québécoises at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle. Consequently, the Passport to Mobility grant program contributes to the dialogue between cultures and nations while promoting the advancement of scientific research in art history.