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27 March 2025 The 1980’s. Revisiting Aurora Borealis. A Vox project. This Saturday, March 29 at 3:00 PM

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THE 1980’s. A VOX PROJECT

Revisiting AURORA BOREALIS

This Saturday, March 29 at 3:00 PM
at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine
64 Sainte-Catherine Street East.

Exhibition Catalogue, Aurora Borealis, 1985

The Aurora Borealis exhibition, produced by the Centre international d’art contemporain de Montréal in 1985, continues to resonate in the art world. This major event in Canadian contemporary art, curated by René Blouin, Claude Gosselin, and Normand Thériault, brought together more than 30 renowned artists at Place du Parc and marked a turning point for current curatorial practices. You can find the full catalogue online on our website.
https://ciac.ca/aurora-borealis-1985

Join curator Lisa Bouraly for her talk, Aurora Borealis et ses résonances actuelles, this Saturday, March 29, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine, 264 Sainte-Catherine Street East.

This talk is part of the second roundtable of the scholar’s day organized by the VOX art center, as part of its exhibition 1985. Mondes-images, which explores the lasting impact of the 1980’s on today’s world.
https://centrevox.ca/en/events/round-tables-1985

27 March 2025 The Morgan’s store, now La Baie

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MAPPING THE AUTOMATISTS

THE MORGAN’S STORE, NOW LA BAIE

A HERITAGE SITE IN MONTREAL

Henry Morgan Building, 585 Sainte-Catherine Street West, built in 1891 by architect John Pearce Hill. Photo: Archives de la Ville de Montréal, March 30, 1936.

La Baie’s long and storied legacy is coming to an end. Founded in 1845 in Montreal by Henry Morgan and David Smith, the Morgan’s store (now La Baie), located at 585 Sainte-Catherine Street West since 1891, is an iconic Montreal store known for its economic and cultural activities.

Paul-Émile Borduas held two exhibitions there: from May 16 to 29, 1941, and from April 23 to May 4, 1946. You can find more information about these exhibitions as part of our project “Mapping the Automatists in Montreal” on our website.

Click here to read the article

For more information on La Baie, we invite you to explore the note from Héritage Montréal and the interview with Dinu Bumbaru:

Click here to listen to the interview

26 February 2025 Daily Tous Les Jours at the National Gallery of Canada

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DAILY TOUS LES JOURS

AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA

We are pleased to share the latest work Spaghetti Chorus by the collective Daily Tous Les Jours, currently on display in the Scotiabank Great Hall of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, running until March 30. The artist duo, composed of Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, presents a communication device using luminous threads, where voices become music and light. (https://www.gallery.ca/whats-on/calendar/spaghetti-chorus)

Daily Tous Les Jours, Chœur Spaghetti | Musée des beaux-arts du Canada

Melissa Mongiat took part in the 2009 Montreal Biennale with an interactive installation, La Conspiration du Bien. This work unfolded along Saint-Laurent Boulevard and within the former École Bourget, on De la Montagne Street, which served as the headquarters for that year’s BNL MTL.

Curator: Claude Gosselin (https://ciac.ca/documents/BNL-MTL/2009/fr/melissa-mongiat.html).

The installation invited citizens to become active participants, engaging as “conspirators” by sharing messages of hope. Melissa Mongiat sought to instill an essential optimism in her hometown. We have fond memories of this piece, which garnered widespread public engagement.

Since the formation of Daily Tous Les Jours in 2010, their large-scale international projects have cultivated this playful and dynamic approach to public spaces. Their installations offer individuals the opportunity to inhabit these contested areas with hope.

La Conspiration du Bien – Boul. Saint-Laurent – Avril 2009 | Photo : Martine Frossard – BNL MTL 2009

26 February 2025 Passing of Stéfane Foumy (1932-2025)

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PASSING OF STÉFANE FOUMY (1932-2025)

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the death of Stéfane Foumy, who passed away on February 12.

A distinguished businessman and esteemed philanthropist, he dedicated himself to the advancement of the arts, notably through the Stéfane Foumy Foundation, administered by the Foundation of Greater Montreal. His unwavering commitment provided invaluable support to numerous cultural organizations.

This past fall, CIAC had the pleasure of collaborating with Mr. Foumy on the publication of an interview between art historian Abigail Susik and Françoise Sullivan (https://ciac.ca/francoise-sullivan-un-entretien-avec-abigail-susik/).

Details regarding the funeral service will be announced shortly.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/montreal-qc/stefane-foumy-12250835

05 February 2025 Death of Jacques Lamoureux and Jacques Cleary

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DEATH OF JACQUES LAMOUREUX (1934 – 2024)

WE REGRET TO ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF JACQUES LAMOUREUX, ON DECEMBER 29, 2024.

Jacques Lamoureux was passionate about architecture and photography. He was a film critic and worked at Société Radio-Canada from 1961 to 1991.

Jacques was an actor in the video production, Monsieur et Monsieur, by artist John Bock, participating artist in the 2011 Biennale de Montréal (curator: Claude Gosselin). Although not a professional actor, Jacques Lamoureux generously agreed to follow John Bock’s instructions and take part in a demanding performance with his accomplice Ed Kostiner. We have very fond memories of this unique and original production.

You can see the film Monsieur et Monsieur, by John Bock, by clicking on the following link:

https://jsfoundation.art/videos/john-bock-monsieur-et-monsieur-2011

(Courtesy of Julia Stoschek Foundation)

DEATH OF JACQUES CLEARY (1945 – 2024)

Jacques Cleary passed away on December 1. Jacques held many important positions with cultural organizations in Quebec. He was General Director and Secretary of the Conseil des arts de la Communauté urbaine de Montréal and Secretary of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

We enjoyed excellent relations with him, facilitated by his generosity and willingness to share. He will be sorely missed.

Claude Gosselin, C.M.

26 November 2024 Documentary Film : Claude Gosselin, Témoignage À Bâtons Rompus

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DOCUMENTARY FILM :

CLAUDE GOSSELIN, TÉMOIGNAGE À BÂTONS ROMPUS

A film BY mario côté.

Many of you have asked for access to the film produced by Mario Côté about CIAC and Claude Gosselin. You can now access a free screening of the first part of the documentary (26 min. out of a total running time of 58 min.) by clicking on the following link:

https://vimeo.com/1008411638

To obtain the full version of the documentary, please contact Mario Côté at: cotemario29@bell.net

Purchase price for private broadcast: $35.
Institutional purchase price: variable, to be discussed.

The documentary reveals the exceptional contribution made by Les Cent jours d’art contemporain de Montréal (1985 to 1996) and La Biennale de Montréal (1998 to 2011). Founder and general director Claude Gosselin describes the genesis of these events, which were original in that they were presented in unusual and unconventional venues. He explains how these very events allowed numerous curators to imagine prestigious exhibitions, both in terms of museology and the artistic and aesthetic issues of the time.

These events, which took place for almost thirty years, left their mark on people’s imaginations. A new public was introduced to contemporary art, and discovered artists who were recognized, and sometimes little-known, but who would go on to become major players on the artistic scene.

16 November 2024 Exclusive interview by Françoise Sullivan with Dr. Abigail Susik

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY FRANÇOISE SULLIVAN WITH DR. ABIGAIL SUSIK

HOW THE AUTOMATISTS LEARNED ABOUT SURREALISM
AND THEIR REACTION TO IT.

Francoise Sullivan and Dr. Abigail Susik at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts,
October 2024. Credits: Photo (c) Claude Gosselin

Read it on the CIAC website

We present this interview that Françoise Sullivan gave to Abigail Susik, professor of Art History at Willamette University in Portland, US, on this pivotal moment in the history of art in Québec and Canada.

ciac.ca/en/francoise-sullivan-an-interview-with-abigail-susik/

A paper publication of the interview is also available.
All donors who make a donation will receive the publication free
of charge and a tax receipt (minimum donation: $25)

By credit card via Canada Helps : canadahelps.org/en/dn/5290
By cheque : CIAC, 1-3651, av. Laval, Montréal (Québec) H2X 3E1

23 March 2023 Drawings by Michel Daigneault and by Stephen Schofield on texts written by Yves Navarre

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DRAWINGS BY MICHEL DAIGNEAULT AND
BY STEPHEN SCHOFIELD ON TEXTS
WRITTEN BY YVES NAVARRE

Claude Gosselin in front of artworks from Michel Daigneault. Photo: Guy L’Heureux

This exhibition features drawings by Michel Daigneault and by Stephen Schofield, two artists with an ongoing practice of drawing and a keen interest in the writings of Yves Navarre, which they read some years ago and recently revisited.

Yves Navarre is an important author of French literature whose books tell the story of the homosexual condition of life under different lights. The author received the Prix Goncourt 1980 for his novel “Le jardin d’acclimatation” summarized in Wikipedia as follows: Henri Prouillan, former minister of Charles de Gaulle and widower in his seventies, celebrates with his sister and three of his four children the fortieth birthday of the son who does not participate in the celebrations: Bertrand. Bertrand leads a withdrawn and haggard existence in Moncrabeau, the Prouillan family home, under the surveillance of the estate’s guards. And this, since his father Henri Prouillan, who refused and condemned the homosexuality of his son, forced him to undergo a lobotomy.

Claude Gosselin, Jacques Prince & Stephen Schofield. In the drawer, archives of Yves Navarre. Photo: Guy L’Heureux

Yves Navarre lived in Montreal in 1989 – 1990. He actively participated in the cultural life of the city by publishing and being a literary critic for the newspaper Le Devoir. An avid admirer of visual artists, he attended on several occasions the annual event Les Cent Jours d’art contemporain de Montréal founded and directed by Claude Gosselin and his partner Pierre Pilotte, the current coordinator of the Archives gaies du Québec. They met Yves Navarre with whom they developed a certain friendship.

Today, Yves Navarre’s presence in Montreal is permanently preserved in two funds dedicated to him, one at the Archives nationales du Québec and the other at the Archives gaies du Québec. In both cases, it was Jacques Prince, archivist and co-founding president of the Archives gaies du Québec, who made it possible for us to include these fonds in the archives.

The unusual meeting of these individuals gave rise to the idea of recalling the work and commitment of Yves Navarre. The idea thus became clear to the current directors of the Quebec Gay Archives.

Partial view of the exhibition Photo: Guy L’Heureux

Claude Gosselin was asked to select artists to create works that would reflect their appreciation of Yves Navarre’s writings as an author and as an active witness to the condition of homosexuals. Following a visit to the Yves Navarre funds at the Archives nationales du Québec on Viger Street in Montreal, artists Schofield and Daigneault travelled to France in June 2022 to meet with members of the association Les Amis d’Yves Navarre and to consult the Yves Navarre archives in the city of Montpellier. This exhibition visually interprets the Navarre texts and artifacts they read, saw and documented.

It is the result of a collaboration between Les Amis d’Yves Navarre in France and the Archives gaies du Québec, made possible by initial funding from the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la francophonie du Québec, with the support of the Consulat général de France à Québec, LOJIQ-Les Offices jeunesse internationales du Québec, School of the arts, media, performance & design of York University, McBride-Contemporary Gallery, Fugues, Cinémas Beaubien, du Parc, du Musée, and partners who support the regular activities of the Quebec Gay Archives: The Foundation of Greater Montreal, Desjardins the Caisse du Quartier-Latin de Montréal, and the donors of the Archives gaies du Québec.

The exhibition is presented at the Archives gaies du Québec,
201 A – 1000 Atateken Street, Montreal,
from March 18 to May 14, 2023, Tuesday to Sunday, 1 to 5 pm.

Free admission.

This exhibition is part of the 40th-anniversary events of the
Archives gaies du Québec

06 November 2020 Read more newsletters

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