Strong creative connections
What do an internationally acclaimed interactive light sculptor, a noise rock band and a political performance/cabaret duo have in common?
They have all been selected by curators at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MACM) as representative of current art practice in Quebec. They also all share ties to Concordia University.
Of the 50 artists featured in the Quebec Triennial 2011: The Work Ahead of Us, 30 have studied or taught at Concordia. Most have attended the university’s respected Faculty of Fine Arts, with one notable exception who earned a BSc in Physical Chemistry.
The Quebec Triennial is a high-profile art event that runs from October 7, 2011 to January 3, 2012. In addition to a more traditional exhibition format, the triennial features a variety of opportunities to interact with the work and the artists.
Programming over the three-month event includes a series of artist talks, two different performance series, workshops and installations that will move beyond the walls of the MACM, into the adjoining Place des Arts and Quartier des Spectacles.
The five curators, including Concordia graduates, researched the Quebec artistic landscape for this event — the MACM’s second triennial. They noted a shift toward sound design and performance that is evident among the Concordia artists featured, notably Steve Bates, Charles Stankievech and Georges Rebboh.
The event opens with Concordia alumnus Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s Intersection articulée. Architecture relationnelle 18. Lozano-Hemmer, a physical chemistry grad, will unveil his interactive light sculpture on the eve of the triennial.
When: Thursday, October 6, at 8 p.m.
Where: Place des Festivals on Jeanne-Mance Street, between Ste-Catherine Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.
Echoing the scope his previous works, Lozano-Hemmer’s light sculpture will be seen above Montreal over a radius of 15 km. And, like his piece Vectorial Elevation, which was featured at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, Intersection articulée uses technology that encourages participation. Every evening until November 6, vistors will be able to interact with the work and change its appearance.
Watch the time-lapse video of Lozano-Hemmer’s piece, Vectorial Elevation:
The triennial’s 500-page catalogue includes Concordia art history professor Johanne Sloan’s perspective on contemporary art in Quebec.
Consult the triennial website for details on the full range of events planned during the exhibition.
Related links:
• Concordians shine at Quebec Triennial (list of Concordians)
• Triennial 2011
• Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts
• “Concordia grad lights up the sky over Vancouver” - News and Events, February 25, 2010