The top 5 things to do in Montreal: March 5 to 18
Poems from 19th century poet Arthur Rimbaud will be among those featured at the Rendez-vous Poétiques.
1. DEAD POETS’ SOCIETY
Rendez-vous Poétiques | Au Rendez-vous du thé | March 16, 6 p.m.
Enjoy a cup of tea with some international French poetry. Expect the works of 19th century writers Paul Verlaine, teen prodigy Arthur Rimbaud, who gave up writing at the age of 20 and Victor Hugo, who dubbed Rimbaud, “an infant Shakespeare.”
Let’s not forget bohemian modernist Charles Baudelaire and his famous collection of poems, The Flowers of Evil about urban beauty and decay.
Poems will be accompanied by some music to lighten the mood — with hosts, actor Roger Michael and writer Denis-Martin Chabot.
"Collateral Damage," 2011, ink and graphite on paper, Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain. | Image courtesy of Ed Pien
2. LAST CHANCE
Ed Pien: Strangers in a Strange Land | Pierre-François Ouellette Art Contemporain | January 23 to March 7
Multidisciplinary artist Ed Pien’s creative process is organic and spontaneous; taking his inspiration from the anxieties, fears and desires in our world rather than any preconceived image.
Count on seeing blue giants, two-headed teddy bears, mutant monsters with bulging eyes and celestial beings - these are just some of the creatures summoned straight from Pien’s imagination.
Ed Pien’s large-scale installations and drawings have been featured internationally and nationally in many Canadian museums including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
”To Rebel is Justified” explores vulnerability in ritualistic humiliation through reconfiguring historical iconic images of the Red Guard in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. | Image courtesy of Chun Hua Catherine Dong
3. REBEL WITH A CAUSE
Chun Hua Catherine Dong: To Rebel is Justified | Montreal arts interculturels (M.A.I.) | February 14 to March 21
“To Rebel is Justified” was the slogan of the notorious Red Guards during China's Cultural Revolution.
Chun Hua Catherine Dong’s work is both symbolic and metaphoric. Dressed in a military uniform, the artist puts herself on stage and personifies an imaginary Red Guard. The work aims to create a conversation: What does it mean to be a citizen of the world today?
The exhibition consists of 12 performance-based photographs and a video from the live performance, The Yellow Umbrella – An Unfinished Conversation. In this performance, inspired by the 2014 protests in Hong Kong, the yellow umbrellas are not only symbols of protection, but also a sign of resistance.
Chun Hua Catherine Dong received her MFA from Concordia University.
Kung Fu Volleyball by KO-OP Mode. Red vs. Yellow in this epic, two-player Kung Fu sports game. | Image courtesy of Arcade 11
4. GAME BREAK
Arcade 11: As part of the Montreal Joue Game Festival, The Technoculture, Art and Games Research Centre | EV Building - Sir George Williams Campus | March 6 to March 8
Curated with both families and experienced gamers in mind, Arcade 11 turns the 11th floor of Concordia’s Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building) into a giant arcade.
Check out inventive indie games like Eat Dirt — a two-player game about composting — 3D printing demos, DIY workshops and don’t miss the breakdance simulator! Technophiles will want to try on the much-hyped Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
5. STUDENT MATTERS
Art Matters Festival | Visual Arts Building – Sir George Williams Campus | March 7 to March 21
Now celebrating its 15th year, this student-run festival showcases the diversity of Concordia’s artistic community.
Curated by Concordia students, the two weeks of programming includes exhibitions, live performance, lectures, vernissages galore and even some alchemy at venues scattered across the city. Opening party, March 6 at Theatre Plaza.
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About the author
Andy Fidel is a Montreal-based freelance journalist, photographer and writer with dreams of living on a submarine. She enjoys metro rides, writer's block and cold instant coffee.