The Écomusée du fier monde welcomes these days the 18e edition of With a different eye, a unifying and inclusive exhibition bringing together emerging artists and professionals with an intellectual disability, an autism spectrum disorder, or not. United by art and for art.
And we challenge you to spot the professionals here. Or not. Because that is where the whole raison d’être of the event lies, ultimately: “to make people understand that you can have an intellectual disability and be a professional artist”, summarizes the co-founder Geneviève Guilbault, in an interview.
At first, she recalls, it wasn’t exactly “clear” in everyone’s mind. “People told us: professionals are those who don’t have a disability. But not always ! Slowly, and over time (and awareness, including this exposure), mentalities are changing.
As proof: the opening, Wednesday from 4 p.m., should attract crowds. During the last face-to-face event of its kind, no less than 500 people showed up. “And people arrive early to choose their works,” she says. These average around $150.
This year, we expect nearly 200 works (paintings, photos, 3D, mosaics, knits, weavings) including several collectives and from 11 participating organizations. Among them: La Gang à Rambrou, an art studio in the heart of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve where we went for a walk last week to see the last strokes of paint by half a dozen artists, supervised by their teacher, Fred Péloquin, honorary co-president of the event.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
“Sometimes I can be in my bubble, all alone. But with a collective, it leads me to work with others, and I love that,” comments Simon Marcotte Tremblay (right), honorary co-president of the event. With a different eye. Here he gives his last brush strokes to the La Gang à Rambrou collective, orchestrated by Fred Péloquin (centre), multidisciplinary artist, also honorary co-president.
“It’s beautiful, working together with Fred! “, ” it is not easy ! », « It’s work! Oh yes ! “, the participants launch us in chorus and with enthusiasm, as soon as we arrive.
After working on the streets as a mediator, then teaching in prison, Fred Péloquin, driven by a thirst for justice, now devotes a lot of his time here. “Because if there is a population that suffers from injustice, it is people who live with intellectual disabilities or an autism spectrum disorder,” he says. Between music, storytelling or comics lessons, he offers this painting workshop as a bonus.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Painting workshop at La Gang in Rambrou, in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, with multidisciplinary artist Fred Péloquin
His approach ? “I teach here as in other circles, I don’t have a complacent attitude,” he replies. My goal: to push them to be a better version of themselves. »
And it works, “they are more and more autonomous, better,” he says.
Jenny-Lee Amyot, member of the event’s organizing committee, of which comedian Vincent-Guillaume Otis will also be honorary co-president, agrees: “We hear them say: ‘I’m proud of myself!’ And they are not alone. “What we want, she continues, is that they come out of the shadows. We want to promote the work they do, just like the work of an artist. Ending stigma, or worse, invisibility: “These are people who are often made invisible. Marginalized. There, the goal, she concludes, is to make them shine! »
With a different eye takes place from March 15 to 26 at the Écomusée du fier monde. Opening this Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. FREE ENTRANCE.