In 1948, Borduas published a collective manifesto called the Refus global, an important document in the cultural history of Quebec and a declaration of artistic independence and the need for expressive freedoms. The decision to write the manifesto was partly influenced by Jean Paul Riopelle, who had recently signed the Surrealist manifesto Rupture inaugurale during a visit to Paris. Refus global was published in a first edition of four hundred copies, which went on sale at the Librairie Tranquille in Montreal on August 9, 1948. The manifesto's denunciation of the Catholic Church's authority was particularly scandalous and resulted in the group's public humiliation. This ultimately led to a kind of martyrdom but was initially devastating. Borduas was dismissed from his position at the École du meuble and, unable to find work, left Quebec permanently in 1953. Although the group dispersed soon after the manifesto was published, the movement continues to have influence, and may be considered a forerunner of the Quiet Revolution.
