Plural | A bustling art fair

This weekend, Canadian art galleries are in tune with the highly anticipated Plural fair.

“The fair has grown in recent years,” says Anie Deslauriers, the new general director of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries (AGAC). The 2024 edition, presented from this Friday to Sunday, will receive nearly 8,000 visitors and welcome no less than 46 exhibitors from 7 Canadian cities as well as 480 artists.

“Plural is part of the post-pandemic excitement! » If we see that the economic indices have been less well for 6 months, the economic heaviness does not seem to affect the art market. “It didn’t make it into the world of fairs. The art market is stable in Quebec,” once again specifies the director of AGAC who took office on February 19.

Anie Deslauriers speaks with knowledge of the facts: the one who was assistant director at the Blouin Division gallery had the chance to experience Plural, formerly called Paper, in all its forms, having been present there since its first edition. She therefore knows the association which organizes this major event each year.

According to her, one thing should be emphasized regarding the art market. If there are closures of Montreal galleries, some of them are moving to premises twice as large. This is the case of the Robertson Arès, Nicolas Robert and Eli Kerr galleries, among others. Others are present at international fairs, including Bradley Ertaskiran, who recently exhibited at Art Basel Miami Beach.

Broaden the vision

The Plural program was already finalized when Anie Deslauriers took the reins of the organizing association, but she recognizes that the fair stands out. “Plural is part of an interesting line through its content. In Canada, there is the Art Toronto fair, the Grande foire de Québec and us, Plural! »

Plural wants to further broaden its vision this year. “Visitors to Plural will realize that there is an abundance of photos, sculptures…”, specifies the director.

In addition to the number of exhibiting galleries, which has remained stable over the last four fairs, the event also offers four special projects on the exhibitors’ floor. Among other things, attention was paid to works that are marginal, that is, too large to be presented on kiosks, for example.

A space is reserved for the work of undergraduate students at Concordia. This is without counting the extensive program of round tables – including one with two collectors, Julia Zhu and Andrew Booth –, guided tours and workshops. For VIP visitors, visits to private collections, companies as well as visits to exhibitions are planned.

For the general public, there are many activities that focus on today’s artistic practices: introductory workshops on contemporary art collecting, an introduction to the ecosystem for emerging artists, discussions that focus on the ecofeminism or indigenous artistic perspectives.

Two things are getting attention this year. Plural has dedicated part of the second floor to atypical spaces which do not have a storefront or which have operations in other locations. This showcase will ensure that they will be able to present their projects. In addition, a space is reserved for the exhibition Hardware memory, ensured by curator Evlyne Laurin. “It’s fascinating what she has prepared,” according to Anie Deslauriers.

Galleries under the sign of mutual aid and collaboration

This exhibition presented in the Plural Pavilion, having been supported by Artys Transit and the Hamelys Fund for the curator, is a very ambitious project, distinct from last year’s formula. Instead of forming a committee, Plural welcomes a curator for the 2024 edition. The event was designed in just ten weeks. “I believed in this project which could really be a collaboration with the galleries, a mutual aid,” adds Evlyne Laurin.

The exhibition focuses on the materiality of the works. “Creating a dialogue between practices rather than going with a theme is a different way of curating,” underlines the contemporary art enthusiast.

The exhibition bringing together more than thirty productions is an opportunity for Evlyne Laurin to join a diversity of voices and perspectives, techniques, mediums as well as artists. Very few galleries are not present in the exhibition. If this is the case, it is a question of material and logistical constraints, but rarely of police choices.

The public will be able to learn about the projects of a diversity of Canadian artists from various galleries. One particularity should be highlighted: many bases are transport boxes turned upside down. The team used originality, creating an attachment with the colors of Plural.

Some productions go beyond commonplaces: while Ancestry DNA Bag of Nico Williams enters the palm of one hand, Métis Soup by Judy Charland offers a can of indigenous soup.

Visitors will discover creations by Shary Boyle, Chun Hua Catherine Dong, Janet Macpherson, Manuel Mathieu, Charlène Vickers, and many others. The curator also made some bold choices to complete her selection, including the monumental sculpture When is a fence a ladder? by Melanie Colosimo (2021-2022), from The Blue Building gallery in Halifax.

The idea of Hardware memory is to create a conversation. “I hope people will buy these works! I hope it will bring new collectors,” says the curator.

Will this three-day exhibition attract other audiences? In all cases, it opens the vision, provides a new perception on the art market, in a spirit of support, of dialogue.

Plural, contemporary art fair, at the Grand Quai du Port de Montréal, 200, rue de la Commune Ouest, until Sunday

Visit the event website