Uniting 39 large-scale colour photos taken on various trips to Haiti starting mere days after the shattering earthquake of 2010, Benoit Aquin’s exhibition, Haiti: Chaos and Daily Life, at the McCord Museum gives a poetic perspective you didn’t see in news photography. “That was very important to me,” says Aquin. “I didn’t want our collective memory to stick on images of the catastrophe. This project is an homage to Haiti, an extraordinary place – a hard but fascinating culture I’ve known since I was 4 years old.”

“I’ve never experienced such a frightening atmosphere as on that first trip, days after the earthquake. It felt like the world had ended, but as if it could end all over again any minute. Everything was destroyed, everywhere was chaos. There were thousands of people without food, water, shelter. Downtown was a desert at night, except for the looters in certain areas – it was as if you could feel the 100,000 dead share the night with you. I was there with the relief organization CECI, and we were staying in an abandoned restaurant. We slept on the floor.”

“This photo was taken that same trip, at the bus terminal – I was hanging out of a bus when I took it. It’s a shot I never could have planned. I imagine the man had a mask on because of the smell of death; some people would stick cigarettes up their noses while other smeared toothpaste under their noses. While I was there, I thought I was maintaining an emotional distance from the situation, but after I came back to Montreal after that first trip I felt like crying every day for two weeks.”

“This was taken a few months after the earthquake, and already life had regained its regular course to a certain extent. This was a small carnival, it was very voodoo – they did a ceremony in the middle of the street, and the man painted in black was in a complete trance. I just stood with everyone and watched. It transported me into another world. In all of my work there’s the relationship between man and the universe. I think existential questions always find their way into my creative process.”

A

THE DETAILS
Haiti: Chaos and Daily Life by Benoit Aquin, Until May 12, 2013
McCord Museum, 690 Sherbrooke West, (514) 398-7100

The post MCCORD MUSEUM SHOWCASES PHOTOS OF HAÏTI THROUGH THICK AND THIN appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(pop overload) It’s all just so much, really. As a fan of live music, I’m in my happy place during Pop Montreal – and since the fest takes over many venues, that happy place seems to be everywhere. Whether you’re into folk-pop, indie-metal or country-electro, check out at least one show at this music fest. There’s also a great film program, stellar art exhibitions, free afternoon BBQs and music at Notman House (51 Sherbrooke W.), a talk by Maus creator and comic book icon Art Spiegelman (September 24, 4 p.m., 1455 de Maisonneuve West), and more. Shoppers can check out Puces Pop, an art, craft, jewellery and fashion fair, September 24–25 at St-Michael Church and the Record Fair at the Ukrainian Federation (5213 Hutchison). Lest we forget the children, Kids Pop offers sing-alongs, yoga, a dress-up photo booth and art workshops on the afternoon of September 25, at the Chinese Presbyterian Church.

(artistic leanings) The stunning Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is only on until October 2 – it seriously deserves at least one viewing, and I know several people who’ve made repeat visits. The Museum also unveils on Monday a monumental public artwork by internationally renowned Montreal artist David Altmejd in front of the Claire and Marc Bourgie Pavilion of Quebec and Canadian Art (1339 Sherbrooke West). The wonderful city-wide photography festival Mois de la Photo as well as the World Press Photo exhibition continue until the end of the month, as does Workspace Unlimited’s immersive multi-media work RealTime UnReal at the Musée d’art Contemporain.

(it’s not all pop) Pop Montreal may be drawing crowds young and old and rock n’ roll will never die, but neither will jazz and classical music, if Montreal can help it anyway. Jazz legends Oliver Jones and Michel Donato along with The Doxas Brothers play the Segal Centre, September 25, and the Montreal Jazz Festival’s autumn show series at the Bistro Le Balmoral heats up every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. Meanwhile, the 13th Orgue et couleurs Fall Festival of classical organ music runs September 23 to October 2, with free lunch-time concerts and reasonably priced evening concerts at churches, music venues, cultural centres around town. And the Montreal Symphony Orchestra settles into its new Concert Hall with conductor Michel Plasson, cellist Gautier Capuçon and works by Ravel, Roussel, Gounod and more, September 29 to October 2.

(Indian rhythms) This Sunday’s La Bal du Dimanche Danse Indienne not only gives us a performance by dancer Deepali Lindblom along with 6 other dancers skilled in various forms of Indian dance, such as folkloric theatrical dance and the classical Karthak, but also a free class on Bollywood dance, open to everyone! September 25, 2 p.m. at Places des Arts’ Espace Culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme – free!

(far-east acrobatics) Montreal’s own circus centre, La Tohu, stretches the definition of circus once again with Chi of Shaolin: Tale of the Dragon, a high-energy, family-friendly show that blends martial arts, dance, sabre work, hand balancing, contortion, foot-juggling and Chinese diabolo to tell tell the story of a monk who takes a failed young thief under his wing. See the feats of studied technique, strength and pure entertainment as Chi of Shaolin’s Chinese acrobats push their own limits in a surprising show, at La Tohu, September 27 to October 6.

(fresh air) There’s still time to spend outside while the warm-ish weather lasts! Popular Sunday-afternoon electro-dance-party Piknic Electronik invites everyone out to Parc Jean Drapeau for the grand finale piknic of the year with French trio dOP and local favourites. Meanwhile, downtown on Ste-Catherine Street W., as part of In Town Without My Car, Cease Collective presents the vision of five artists who will create a 20′ x 8′ billboard using paper, glue, and scissors to be complete on September 22, at Square Phillips (Ste-Catherine at Union).

(high drama) Make a dramatic, thought-provoking night of it with Peter Shaffer’s play Equus – the performance, directed with creative panache by Domy Reiter-Soffer, left me, and the rest of the theatre, with plenty to ponder and talk about – at the Segal Centre, to October 2. Over at Places des Arts, the Opéra de Montréal goes grand and pulls out all the stops with Mozart’s classic Le nozze di Figaro, featuring soprano Nicole Cabell, to September 24.

(new dance) One of Montreal’s avant-garde dance institutions, Agora de la danse, produces two challenging shows this week: Jocelyne Montpetit’s butoh work Avril est le mois le plus cruel inspired by the poetry of T.S. Eliot, September 22–23, and Danse à 10, an unconventional approach to dance from young, hip, experimental dance troupe La 2e Porte à Gauche, known for performing in strange locales – eight choreographers take over a strip bar this time, Kingdom Gentleman’s Club of Montreal (1417 St-Laurent), September 25–27 and October 2–3, 7 p.m., $10. And on September 29, Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui returns to Montreal with Babel- 18 dancers and musicians representing elements of 13 countries and 7 religions, at Places des Arts.

(audio hackers) Montreal, ever the creative land, becomes a part of a relatively new phenomenon that blends music, technology and rebellion: Music Hack Day Montreal. Though it seems that musicians have been altering their instruments to get the sounds they want forever (hey, what are pedals for), new technologies in software and hardware have expanded the realm of music making exponentially in the last 50 years. Music Hack Day brings together programmers, musicians, designers and anyone with a bent for making music in any way shape or form – September 24–25 at Eastern Bloc (7240 Clark).

(film forum) The Montreal International Black Film Festival introduces a great variety of films from around the world that tackle everything from day-to-day existence to historical issues of slavery to racism in the suburbs of Paris. The opening film is French comedy Case Départ (Back to Square One), and closing the festival is Gabriel Range’s I Am Slave, based on the life of Mende Nazer. In between are over 125 more films as well as a September 24 conference on African-Americans in the film industry. The fest runs September 22 to October 2, at Cinéma Impérial, Cinéma ONF and Cinéma du Parc.

(music and more) While Pop Montreal would seem to be taking over the city’s music scene September 22–25, there’s still more music to be had. Like the full-on force of team Kanye West and Jay-Z – together the hip-hop royals make The Throne, at the Bell Centre, September 25. The music of Sigur Ros comes in film form in the North American Premiere of INNI, by amazing Montreal filmmaker Vincent Morisset – 75 minutes of footage from their last live shows at London’s Alexandra, playing September 27 at Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine E.), 8 p.m. Also that night, not only do indie-pop forerunners and always a good time, Mates of State play Il Motore (179 Jean Talon West), but Who-frontman Roger Daltry performs The Who at Place des Arts! And on September 29, long-time heavy new wavers Trans Am returns to play the entirety of their album Futureworld, at Il Motore.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL (SEPTEMBER 22-29) appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(night lights) As the nights grow cooler and start earlier, The Magic of Lanterns, at the Chinese Garden in the Montreal Botanical Garden (4101 Sherbrooke East), celebrates the light in the darkness. Over 700 handcrafted lanterns glimmer from September 9 to October 31, this year thematically paired with China’s intriguing first Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, and his cavalry, including a recreation of a section of the Great Wall as well as musical tributes on Tuesday and Saturday evenings.

(latin quarter flavor) Montreal’s newest festival, OUMF, takes over the city’s Latin Quarter (on and around St-Denis between Ste-Catherine E. and Sherbrooke) until September 10 with public art installations at Place Pasteur and Paul De Marinis’s Raindance installation at the corner of Emery and St-Denis, film screenings at the Cinémathèque Québécoise and National Film Board’s CinéRobothèque, every evening from 4 p.m. until late, music in the street from local bands like We Are Wolves, Parlovr, Valleys and Random Recipe, and music in metro.

(shop vintage) Pop Montreal doesn’t start until September 21, but everyone’s getting their show-goin’, rock n’ rollin’ outfits in order at Vintage Pop, every day to September 10 at Off Interarts (5143/45 St-Laurent). Amuse yourself by perusing an array of exclusive vintage clothing for men and women, accessories and housewares from the 1920s to the 90s, all hunted down by the some of the city’s best vintage hunters. Cash only!

(arts marathon) Ten of Montreal’s biggest cultural institutions team up for Le Marathon des Arts, September 10–11 at the Quartier des Spectacles, from before noon to well after dark. Get your fill of music, opera, theatre, dance, visual and circus arts from Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Opera de Montreal, the National Library of Quebec, Theatre du Nouveau Monde, Tohu, Place des Arts and more, including an open house at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra’s new concert hall, featuring tours and live music.

(photo finish) The 12th edition of Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, in galleries and cultural centres around the city, sees photographers working with the theme of “lucidity” and shedding their artistic light into dark corners of the world and the human psyche. In 25 solo exhibitions, outdoor installations and group shows by artists from Canada and around the world, Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal makes itself at home all over town. Coincidentally, photojournalism exhibition, World Press Photo is at Marché Bonsecours (325 de la Commune, in Old Montreal) until early October.

(tattoo art too) This week is packed with all kinds of art, so it seems kind of logical that body art should get in on the act too. Art Tattoo Montreal (September 9–11) sees over 150 tattoo artists as well as tattoo-industry suppliers (from ink to books, clothing and jewellery) from Montreal and around North America and Europe set up at Windsor Station (1160 de la Gauchetière, near the Bell Centre), to show – and make – their art, talk about their work, and have a good time – yes, there will be burlesque performances and an appearance by Zombie Boy, plus afterparties at, where else, Foufounes Electriques.

(theatrical dance) Director and choreographer Domy Reiter-Soffer takes the helm of Equus at the Segal Centre, producing an original and captivating theatre-meets-dance version of the story of a teenage boy and his psychiatrist and the complex question of madness. Also on September 12, the Segal Centre celebrates Global Interdependence Day, with a panel discussion on “Peace Building Through the Arts” at 4:30 p.m and at 8:30 p.m. a performance of play In Transit. And, at Theatre La Chappelle, to September 17, Montreal choreographer and dancer Virginie Brunelle shows her newest work, the beautiful, emotional and technically impressive Complexe des Genres.

(art at the quays) The 8th edition of art and performance festival Les Escales Improbables continues to September 11 with all kinds of highly arty music, dance, theatre and art installations at the Quays of the Old Port during the day (free!). Take an audio stroll around the world in installation La Babel Sonore, listen to a new take on movie soundtracks, watch the live painting of Collective RGB, see L’Ensemble Karel’s urban soundscape sculpture, hear Nozen’s blend of jazz, and much more.

(fall for music) Friday night starts the week old-school (by which I mean ‘90s) with J Mascis, of Dinosaur Jr, which in my opinion has never gotten old, at La Sala Rosa (4848 St-Laurent). On Sunday, September 11, Bande à Part presents an all-Canadian Piknic Électronik with Aaron Santos, Nitin, James Teej and My Favorite Robot. And on Sunday night, Irish musician James Vincent McMorrow and Marissa Nadler make a beautiful noise, at La Sala Rosa. On Monday, The Jim Jones Revue and Kid Congo Powers bring punk rock back to Casa del Popolo, and Tuesday night at La Sala Rossa, it’s Australia’s avant-garde improv-jazz-noise The Necks with AUN and Barn Owl.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL (SEPTEMBER 8-15) appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

On Sept. 1, 2011, the proud Montrealer made his world premiere of Gaia, a series of photos he took whilst hanging out (or floating around) the International Space Station. Sixty of his best shots are now displayed outdoors in the first-ever exhibition along the Promenade des Artists, a new public space sandwiched in the Quartier des Spectacles near the soon-to-open Adresse Symphonique.

Gaia means “Mother Earth” in Greek – I heard it means simply “Earth” in Aztec culture, so somebody please let me know. It is also the middle name of one of Laliberté’s kids. But basically it gets its meaning from the fact that all the photos were taken by Laliberté while floating in the high heavens and looking down (or up?) at our planet. If you can’t get enough of these images, you can take them home with you, albeit in a smaller book-size format. The full-colour tome also entitled Gaia is available for sale on-site at the One Drop booth (corner of Jeanne-Mance and de Maisonneuve, Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.), or at most major bookstores in the city. All proceeds go to One Drop and Fondation Desjardins, which work to raise awareness on water and the “threat to humanity created by shortages of drinking water.”

Said Laliberté, “When I gazed at Gaia – the Mother Earth of our ancestors – from above, I saw her fragility in relation to the universe, but also her great strength in relation to humanity. She has inspired in me the desire to live and have given me the will to take good care of her… I humbly share Gaia, for the very first time, with the people of Montreal.”

Printed on weather-proof vinyl on massive sheets of aluminum, the slightly hypnotic, highly abstract photos take on an installation feel, contrasting with their urban surrounding. You can roam the Promenade des Artistes 24-hours a day (the area is closely monitored by security). Plus there are fancy night-lights that allow you to discover each photo up-close any time of day, even while the rest of the city is sleeping.

A

THE DETAILS

The Gaia Exhibition: Photos by Guy Laliberté, Promenade des Artists, September 1 to October 10, 2011

One Drop

Fondation Desjardins

The post GAIA PHOTOS BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL FOUNDER GUY LALIBERTÉ appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(free pop) Music lovers have been flocking to the Pop Montreal festival for the past 9 years – and now we’re celebrating 10 whole years of the little fest that could! While most of the shows aren’t free (they’re pretty cheap though!), there’s plenty that is. The biggest free ticket is the outdoor Arcade Fire show at Places des Festivals on September 22, of course, but free shows are scattered here and there throughout the fest (at venues like Divan Orange, Le Pick-Up, Santropol and the Notman House), and there’s also an entire Pop Symposium free for the learnin’, with music and industry related talks and workshops throughout the fest, as well as Art Pop, including art from The Raincoats and Marcel Dzama, at POP Quarters (3450 St-Urbain) and at the SAT (1201 St-Laurent).

(outside art) Art and performance festival Escales Improbables launches its 8th edition on September 7 with a wide selection of music, dance, theatre and art installations at the Quays of the Old Port every day until September 11. Take an audio stroll around the world in installation La Babel Sonore, watch the live painting of Collective RGB, witness L’Ensemble Karel’s urban soundscape sculpture, listen to Nozen’s blend of jazz, modern music and traditional Jewish music, and more.

(photo op) Working with the theme of lucidity, the 12th edition of Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal (September 8 to October 9) sheds much-needed light on these dark times and shows us the world in all its shades of grey and bright colours alike. The international biennale event pushes the boundaries of what photography is capable of in its 25 solo exhibitions, outdoor installations and group shows by artists from Canada and around the world. Le Mois de la Photo launches with a free party and exhibition for all on September 8 at Arsenal (2020 William – corner of Canning and Notre-Dame W.), 6 p.m. and continues there and at local galleries, including several in downtown Montreal, Dazibao in the Cinematheque Quebecoise and, in the Plateau neighbourhood, Articule, Clark and Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal.

(latin quarter flavor) OUMF, Montreal’s newest music, film and arts festival, takes place in the city’s Latin Quarter (on and around St-Denis between Ste-Catherine E. and Sherbrooke) until September 10. Along with public art installations, film screenings at the Cinémathèque Québécoise and National Film Board’s CinéRobothèque, every evening from 4 p.m. until late, there’s music in the street from local bands like We Are Wolves, Parlovr, Valleys and Random Recipe, and in the metro from Regroupement des Musiciens du Métro de Montréal. Also check out the urban-inspired work of graduate design students at UQAM’’s Place Pasteur. A few days later, on September 15 at noon, UQAM presents an outdoor performance by sound artists Jean-Pierre Gauthier and Mirko Sabatini at Place Émilie-Gamelin.

(literary minds) For lovers of both the French language and literature, Le Festival International de La Littérature has arrived, with readings, discussions, film screenings and more from Montreal, Quebec and around the world, September 16–25. While most of the festival’s literary events are reasonably priced to begin with, a handful are just plain free. From September 16-23, from 5–7 p.m. at the Cabaret des Terrasses Saint-Sulpice, there are poetry readings MC’d by José Acquelin and accompanied by live music. Le Grand Bibliothèque screens documentary films about major Quebec writers: Gallimard on September 18 and Gaston Miron on September 24. And on September 22 in the foyer of Place des Arts, choreographer and dancer Paul-André Fortier begins his 30-day in-situ work, Le Solo 30×30, with new contributions from 30 invited writers, taking place every evening at 5:15 p.m. until October 21.

(all that jazz) The Montreal Jazz Festival isn’t confined to a few fabulous summer weeks this year: starting September 16, the Bistro Le Balmoral turns into a late-night jazz club every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. The first four weekends are like a mini jazz fest: Jean Félix Mailloux and Jérôme Beaulieu on September 16 and John Roney on September 17, the gypsy jazz of the Christine Tassan trio on September 22, Martin Tremblay on the 23 and Lou Boustani on the 24, a weekend of blues with Dan Livingstone on September 29, bassist Stephen Barry and guitarist Andrew Cowan on September 30.

(classical autumn) The Montreal Symphony Orchestra has a brand new home! Doors open September 8 at 2 p.m., with free guided tours of the concert hall and performances by emerging pianists, throat singers, a string orchestra, a contemporary ensemble as well as duos and trios from around Quebec. Tours and concerts continue September 9 at 12:30 p.m. and September 10. at 2 p.m. And the 13th Orgue et Couleurs Fall Festival of classical organ music runs September 23 to October 2, featuring free lunch-time concerts and reasonably priced evening concerts at churches, music venues, cultural centres around town.

(walk and run) Cheer on participants or be a participant yourself in Ca Marche, a walk to benefit people living with HIV and AIDS and break down social stigmas. Proceeds go to local organizations dedicated to the overall health and welfare of Montreal’s diverse communities. And on September 25, see the Oasis Marathon de Montreal, with long-distance runners from Montreal and around the world. The marathon starts at the Jacques-Cartier Bridge in Parc Jean-Drapeau at 8:30 a.m. and follows a winding course to Parc Maisonneuve, home of the Olympic Stadium and Montreal Botanical Gardens. If you’re an avid runner yourself, check out the Expo Marathon exhibition and market place at Place Bonaventure, September 22–24.

(open culture) At the very end of September comes Journees de la Culture (September 30 to October 2), a weekend of free activities around the city, celebrating the arts in Montreal, in tandem with celebrations across the province. Now in its 15th year, the community-driven festival promises even more, including an open invitation to musicians to play John Cage’s 4’33 outside at McGill’s Queen Victoria statue, a exhibition by Hans-Peter Feldmann at Cinémathèque québécoise, performances and workshops in art, dance, theatre, music and writing, and as always, open doors to almost all of the city’s galleries and museums.

The post FREE THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: SEPTEMBER appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

In its 12th edition, the international biennale event continues to push the boundaries of what photography is capable of, investigating the art form’s many ways of presenting the world around us. This year, that investigation is more introspective and meditative, with photographs that seem to show us the surface of things while also revealing much more. Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal‘s 25 solo exhibitions, outdoor installations and group shows by artists from Canada and around the world all question the depths to which photography can go as a representation of ourselves and our world.

Here too are the different perspectives of local galleries, including several in downtown Montreal – Skol, Optica, SBC, B-312, Galerie de l’UQAM, Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, MAI and the McCord Museum – as well as Dazibao in the Cinematheque Quebecoise and, in the Plateau neighbourhood, Articule, Clark and Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal. Artists will be present at most of the galleries’ opening nights in the first weekend of the festivities (September 9–11).

Le Mois de la Photo launches with a free party and exhibition for all on Thursday, September 8, at Arsenal (2020 William – corner of Canning and Notre-Dame W.), 6 p.m. Get to know some of the artists involved in Le Mois de la Photo at the Meet the Artists Brunch, September 11 at Arsenal, and at the event’s international colloquium featuring lectures on the theme of Lucidity – artists, art historians, critics and curators will share their views on September 30 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.

And for even more photo action, this time of a more journalistic bent, head over to Marché Bonsecours (325 de la Commune, in Old Montreal) for the 54th edition of the World Press Photo exhibition, running concurrently with Le Mois de la Photo, and featuring the year’s best press photographs from around the world.

THE DETAILS
Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, September 8-October 9, 2011

World Press Photo, September 8-October 2, 2011

A

Photo Credits:

Cao Fei, Whose Utopia, 2006, video still. Courtesy of the artist and Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou. © Cao Fei

Kimsooja, A Needle Woman, 2005 (Patan, Nepal). Courtesy of Kimsooja Studio © Kimsooja

Roni Horn, Some Thames, 2000. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth © Roni Horn

The post A MONTH OF PHOTOS IN MONTREAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

[haiti in pictures] While news about Haiti may have trickled off since last year’s devastating earthquake, Montreal’s ties to the country remain steadfast and true. Montreal photographer Jean-François Leblanc, who has been visiting Haiti since the late ‘80s, shares images of everyday life in Haiti in his solo exhibition Ayiti Lavi/Haiti Alive, featuring photographs taken during the fall of 2010, as people were rebuilding their towns and lives. At Yves Laroche Galerie d’Art (6355 St-Laurent), to April 21.

[dance] Hip hop and contemporary dance fuse in Gravity of Center, a new work from Montreal’s world-traveling Rubberbanddance Group. The show, choreographed by Victor Quijada, explores freedom and interdependence as dancers express what it means to be at once the self-reliant centre of our own worlds and undeniably deeply connected to and affected by others, at Cinquieme Salle, at Place des Arts, to April 21. (As a bonus, present your ticket stub at the nearby Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal and get a 50 percent discount on admission!)

[catwalk quebec] Fashion fans have been waiting since last fall for the “Grand Braderie” Big Fashion Sale by Quebec Designers – it only happens twice a year, with clothing and accessories from over 100 local designers going for up to 80 percent off retail prices. It’s both an opportunity to bargain hunt for one-of-a-kind items – including samples, overstock, previous season items and new looks – and a way to check out almost everything Montreal offers in far-out and everyday fashion. At Marché Bonsecours (350 Saint-Paul E.), to April 17.

[horsin’ around] Harry Potter fans were all atwitter a few years ago when their precious Daniel Radcliff strode nude across a London stage in Equus. Here in Montreal, we might not have world-famous wizards, but dammit, we sure know how to do nudity justice. Local theatre hero Paul Van Dyck works with Village Scene Productions to direct the powerful, poignant and disturbing play that questions morality and societal norms. At the spectacular Rialto Theatre (pictured above), to April 24. Meanwhile… over at the Centaur Theatre, Schwartz’s: The Musical is so popular, it’s extended its run until the end of April, telling soon-to-be-fabled tales of the mighty smoked-meat deli on The Main. And Ntozake Shange’s acclaimed play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, made a little more well known last year by Tyler Perry’s film version, hits the intimate Mainline Theatre (3997 St-Laurent) stage to April 16.

[art for sale!] One of the easiest ways to sample some of the best of Montreal’s galleries is at this weekend’s Papier 11 Art Fair, with over 30 galleries exhibiting works on paper by over 200 artists. Whether you’re in the market for art or just casually taking it all in, the sheer aesthetic array of paintings, drawings, photography and more is a wonder to behold – plus artists and gallery reps are in attendance to answer your burning art questions. At Place des Festivals (Bleury at Maisonneuve), to April 17.

[music ] Start the weekend in your right rock n’ roll mind with Black Lips, with the awesome Vivian Girls and Davila 666 opening, at Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine E.). Also on Friday night, Malian afro-pop musician Salif Keita keeps on going strong at Metropolis (59 Ste-Catherine E.). And dance to the tune of ‘80s gone neon as Tiga takes over SAT. On Saturday, Timber Timbre amaze and delight on tour for their new album, Creep on Creepin’ On, at the Corona Theatre in St-Henri. End the weekend with the seemingly boundless rock-out joyful energy of TV on the Radio, with Lissy Trulie, at Metropolis.

Photo Credit: Ayiti/Haiti- Jean-Francois Leblanc/Stock/ACDI, Rialto- Ivanoh Demers, archives La Presse

A

(Editor’s Note: There’s also a certain hockey game going on…)

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL (APRIL 14-17) appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Inspired by photographs of Montreal taken by William Notman in 1896, 100 years later – in 1996 – Cornellier took 5,000 black and white photos of Montreal at different times of day and night and in every season for an entire year. Choosing 1,300 images, he then created a monumental mural, which is now exhibited at the McCord until October 2011. The artist will present his powerful pastiche to the public on April 20.

André Cornellier is a leading figure in the Montreal arts scene. His work has been published internationally and has won many awards. His recent oeuvre, Montreal Panorama 1996, was first created in his studio, where he stuck photos on the walls, slowly assembling his pastiche. ‘‘I just kept playing with it; taking away and then adding. I would look at it for ages.’’ Looking is an important part of his piece. I loved the details. The work starts on the far left. A soothing reflection of a tree ripples the Lachine Canal on a summer day. Then on the far right, a lone walker makes his way through an expanse of new winter snow. But in between are the people.

‘‘I love people. A city is about people. They are more attractive to me than the buildings.’’ Indeed, when you peer closely you get a feel of Montreal through the people: they are walking, shopping, getting into cars – they are the city. Cornellier’s careful arrangement is a pixilated mood: a series of sequences. They are unexpected encounters that echo daily life in a city: a mélange of memories. And then there is the huge towering sky.

André Cornellier took only a few images of the sky. But he used them over and over again, by having some photos developed darker than others. He created his ‘‘night sky with the blacker hues.’’ There are delicate details even in the sky: a little helicopter hovers and a lone cloud floats. I was reminded of the British artist David Hockney when I saw Cornellier’s articulated piece. Cornellier worked with Hockney at a conference in California. Hockney has been influenced by Chinese painting, often executed on a scroll. Time and space are an intrinsic part of Oriental art works. Similarly, as André Cornellier’s powerful panorama unfolds, it takes our gaze into the space, into the scene and into a moment in time.

TIP: When you view it, sit on the bench in the middle of the room. Look at Cornellier’s massive mural. Turn around and compare it with the Notman photo taken a century earlier. Then go closer to each one and see the mélange of memories up close and personal.

MEET ANDRÉ CORNELLIER: April 20, 6 p.m., Free entrance for all, McCord Museum, 690 Sherbrooke Street West, (514) 398-7100

The post SEE ALL OF MONTREAL AT THE MCCORD appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

[dancetastic interactive] Free but not free-form, this Sunday’s Le Bal du Dimanche, at Place des Arts’ Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme, is a dance class for everyone, whether you’ve got that swing or not. Choreograper Chantal Dauphinais leads singles, couples and even kids through the basics of swing dancing, while local band Swing’abago plays live, April 10, 2–5 p.m.

[big big truckin’] With the global climate getting hotter and hotter, in a not-so-good way, and the price of gas at an all-time high, there’s something morbidly, excitingly rebellious in going to this Saturday’s Monster Spectacular XV Edition at Montreal’s massive Olympic Stadium. I have been to one of these shows before, and it is nothing less than a total trip down the fossil-fueled rabbit hole. Witness the biggest tires you’ve ever seen, unless you happen to visit mining sites often, crushing everything from beat-up coupes to school buses. And the noise, the glorious noise. Bring earplugs and accept it all for exactly what it is.

[alternative africa] Stereotypes are shaken up and time is twisted in art exhibition Temps: Dialogue sur l’art contemporain du Sénégal, featuring new work by contemporary Senegalese artists. Pape Seydi, Aïcha Aïdara, Samba Fall, Serigne Mbaye Camara, Piniang and Fatou Kandé Senghor have created challenging and compelling new paintings, photography, video and multi-media art specifically for this two-gallery show, at SBC Gallery (#507–372 Ste-Catherine W.) and at the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance).

COMPAGNIE MARIE CHOUINARD from DANSE DANSE on Vimeo.

[two decades of dance] Some of the best in Montreal-bred dance demands our attention this weekend. Danse Danse brings us gorgeous and challenging 20th-anniversary shows from Compagnie Marie Chouinard, featuring Les Trous du ciel, Étude No 1, Orphée et Eurydice and bODY_rEMIX at Place des Arts, to April 10, 2011. And Chouinard herself talks about the art of dance and choreography on April 9, 5 p.m. at the Espace Culturel Georges-Emile-Lapalme in Place des Arts.

[street noise] Talented young artistic minds unveil their work at the Vue sur la Relève festival, April 5–23, showcasing daring work in dance, theatre and music from Quebec artists under 35. This Saturday, see a blend of pop-rock and traditional Quebec music, like Marcie and Les choses de la vie selon, sing and strum at Theatre Rialto, while on Sunday night, Divan Orange hosts the music of Klô Pelgag, Thierry Bruyère and Héliotrope.

[music never stops] Again this weekend, so much great live music! Start the fun on Thursday, April 7 with always astounding guitar god, Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy at Métropolis (59 Ste-Catherine E.). Also on Thursday, ‘90s indie stalwarts Sebadoh pair up with still-punk former-Minutemen-member Mike Watt, at Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent). On Friday, April 8, groove to the electronic pop of Toro y Moi with locals Braids– all the buzz at this year’s SXSW fest, also at Sala Rossa, April 8. While Liam Finn, son of Crowded House dweller Neil Finn, is at Il Motore (179 Jean-Talon W.) with local lovelies The Luyas. On Saturday, April 9, Jackson Browne strums his eternal, acoustic love at Place des Arts, while those looking for something a little heavier, Japanese psych-rockers Acid Mothers Temple shatter Il Motore. And keep the weekend party going, in a more relaxed state, on Sunday night with guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Dawson at Petit Campus (57 Prince-Arthur East).

Photo Credit: Buddy Guy- T-Bisqit, The Nation’s Red Echo- Pape Seydi Samba

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL (APRIL 7-10) appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.