The visual arts offering is abundant, as always, this winter. Here are some suggestions that should catch your attention.
The territories of Natasha Kanapé Fontaine
The Montreal gallery Pierre-François Ouellette contemporary art presents an exhibition by the poet Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, Nutshimit Tshissitutam. “Painting is a journey through time, where the earth before it was changed by humans simply wishes to return to us to awaken where we come from,” says the artist about his paintings. Her paintings are abstract, but we could recognize something of the territory, exterior or interior, ours or hers, since Natasha Kanapé Fontaine works by intuition, while knowing that the images, even evocative, take root somewhere in nature , our lives, with our ancestors. Definitely worth discovering.
Stéphanie Bérubé, The Press
At Pierre-François Ouellette contemporary art until February 17
Installations and virtual reality at Phi
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PHI
Extract of Black, the little-known life of Claudette Colvinpresented at the Phi Center from February 7
Several interesting exhibitions to see at Phi at the start of the year. First, at the Foundation, the two installations by the Argentine artist of Thai origin Rirkrit Tiravanija, Play, continue until March. In particular, you can enter a rehearsal room where you can listen to recordings or play with the instruments located there. At the Phi Center, we will be able to see Black, the little-known life of Claudette Colvin, this young black woman from Alabama who, nine months before Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man (on a bus) and was imprisoned. A virtual reality experience, just like The horizon of Khufuwhich details the funeral rites of the Egyptian pharaoh.
Jean Siag, The Press
Play/Play, until March 10 at the Phi Foundation; Black: the little-known life of Claudette Colvinfrom February 7 to March 10 at the Phi Center; The horizon of Khufufrom February 16 to March 31 in the Old Port of Montreal, at 2, rue de la Commune Ouest
Saint-Hyacinthe, between two biennials
PHOTO PROVIDED BY EXPRESSION
Kim Waldron, Showroom, Mono Factory2022
All reasons are good to go to Saint-Hyacinthe and, if a visit to the Expression exhibition center was not your primary goal, well, that provides you with an additional reason to head to this city where the Contemporary art is often celebrated. While waiting for the next Orange Biennale next summer, we discover Kim Waldron, this Montreal artist who often works from what the news gives her as raw material. For example, the Panama Papers scandal inspired her to open her own business headquartered in Hong Kong. The very promising exhibition presented at Expression details this experience in particular Kim Waldron Ltd.: civil society.
Stéphanie Bérubé, The Press
Kim Waldron Ltd.: civil societyfrom January 20 to April 21, 2024, at Expression
Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore
PHOTO YOUSUF KARSH, PROVIDED BY THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Georgia O’Keeffe in 1956. Gift of Estrellita Karsh in memory of Yousuf Karsh. Estate of Yousuf Karsh.
Georgia O’Keeffe is one of those artists whose art appeals to a large number of people, particularly her hyper-realistic representations of flowers or her adopted New Mexico. The San Diego Museum of Art, which designed the exhibition dedicated to him at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, decided to put his work in parallel with that of the British sculptor Henry Moore by announcing to us surprising similarities between the two . We like the idea, the kind of concept that requires (or not!) further reflection on the visitor.
Stéphanie Bérubé, The Press
Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore: giants of modern artstarting February 10, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Generations: the Sobey family and Canadian art
PHOTO KENT MONKMAN, PROVIDED BY MNBAQ
Study for “mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Resurgence of the People” (Final Variation), 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 107.3 cm x 213.4 cm. Collection of the Sobey Art Foundation.
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec (MNBAQ) had the good idea of exhibiting part of the rich collection of the Sobey family (over three generations). In total, we are talking about around 175 works by Canadian artists such as Emily Carr, Peter Doig, David Milne, Mario Doucette or even the painters of the Group of Seven, without forgetting the Quebecers Paul-Émile Borduas, Jean Paul Lemieux or Jean Paul Riopelle, to name just a few. There are also First Nations artists such as Annie Pootoogook, Brenda Draney, Joseph Tisiga and Brian Jungen. The exhibition thus offers an overview of Canadian art from the 19the and XXe centuries.
Jean Siag, The Press
Generations: the Sobey family and Canadian artfrom February 16 to May 12, at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ)
Struggle Stories
PHOTO JENNIFER MARCUSON, PROVIDED BY THE MUSEUM OF CIVILIZATION OF QUEBEC
The exhibition Fight, Quebec in the arenain production
We are not talking here about social struggle or major protest movements. We’re talking about two characters punching each other in a ring, often with eccentric looks and a very, very dramatic attitude. Is there more to wrestling than that? Certainly, since the Musée de la civilization wants to bring together fans and skeptics around an exhibition on the history of wrestling in Quebec. It is a co-production with the company Ex Machina, which makes the proposition even more intriguing. Here we go, but we don’t promise to watch all the videos…
Stéphanie Bérubé, The Press
Fight, Quebec in the arenafrom March 20, at the Musée de la civilization de Québec