In 1870, Montrealers adorned themselves with velvet and tassels and silk, and then made their way to the ball. Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Arthur—the namesake of rue Prince-Arthur—was visiting the city for the year. No expense was spared; there would be a costumed carnival, and it would be on ice.[Read More…]
Art
‘Witches: Out of the Shadows’ demystifies the resilient witch
The final room of Witches: Out of the Shadows is one of the most powerful exhibition endings I have ever witnessed. Kiki Smith’s bronze sculpture Woman on Pyre lies atop the centre pedestal, engulfed by a circular structure of distorted, geometric mirrors; it confronts the senses, inviting viewers to witness[Read More…]
AM Kanngieser’s ‘Listening as Coming To’ transports you through time
This fall, the PHI Centre is hosting Habitat Sonore: A Kind of Harmony, a series of six sound exhibitions created by different artists. Each event comprises an in-depth interview with the artist, followed by a collective listening experience for the sound piece. Most recently, the centre welcomed audiences on Oct.[Read More…]
‘Two by Two, Together’ bridges the gap between art and viewer
Two by Two, Together, the latest exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), displays works that have been acquired by the museum over the past five years. Open as of Sept. 11, the exhibition groups together a multitude of works by both local and international artists from 440[Read More…]
The contradiction of The Art of Banksy Without Limits
Art from the renowned Banksy—whose real identity remains unclear—has made its way to Montreal. The Art of Banksy Without Limits, an internationally-touring exhibition being held at La Maison du Festival, advertises 170 works by the world-famous street artist. However, only 40 of the works have had their provenance verified by[Read More…]
Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools subverts time
Standing in the final room of Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools, I find myself transported into an era abundantly different from my own. My eyes glance over the drapery of richly pigmented paint layers, taking in the synthesis of colour, subject, and function. On the walls hang over 20 paintings,[Read More…]
In Montreal, public art is its own form of architecture
Montreal’s rich history of public art is well-documented, with much attention given to the vibrant murals that adorn the city’s streets and alleys. But an often overlooked component is sculptures—an art form that may not be as trendy but has an equally large impact on the city’s residents. Whether commissioned[Read More…]
Reframing nature with Georgia O’Keefe and Henry Moore
The exhibition is not organized temporally. The rooms move from bones to stones, from landscapes to recreations of O’Keeffe’s and Moore’s studios. It weaves and jumps through the 20th century, from New York to Mexico to Scotland, from gastropod shells to irises to pelvises. Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore: Giants[Read More…]
The McGill Fine Arts Commission brings student art into the spotlight
On Monday, Jan. 22, the McGill Fine Arts Commission (FAC) held its first art exhibition of the year in the MacDonald Harrington exhibition room. The theme was liminal spaces, places of transition or change, expressed in varying forms. According to FAC’s VP Design, Emma Létourneau (U3 Arts), the FAC team[Read More…]
‘A Haunted Girl’ is a soul-stirring take on mental health and a hero’s journey
Mentions of suicidal ideation and mental illness Four years ago, in a hospital cafeteria, Ethan Sacks (BA ‘94) sat waiting for visiting hours to start in the pediatric psychiatric ward. As his mind turned over, he wrote down, “The fate of all life on Earth depends on a girl who[Read More…]
