PUBLIC ART – CUBED!

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Until October 15, the Quartier des Spectacles invites you to see the city differently with KM³ – an exclusive public art walk with something for everyone, from art aficionados to office workers to casual visitors. KM³ includes works by around 30 artists from Quebec and around the world who were approached by curators Melissa Mongiat and Mouna Andraos of Daily tous les jours, and by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

We spoke with the Partnership’s programming director, Pascale Daigle, and Mouna Andraos to find out how this extraordinary artistic experience came about.

WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THIS KIND OF PUBLIC ART EVENT COME FROM?

Pascale Daigle : For a few years now, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership has been hosting public installations, including pieces like 21 Balançoires/21 Swings, the installations created for Luminothérapie and Maestro, to name just a few. People take obvious delight in these works, and that naturally led us to think about making the most of the public spaces we manage, as well as the Quartier more generally. We wanted to present a range of different types of experiences – interactive, participatory – associated with temporary public art.

THE THEME OF GOOD NEIGHBOURS PROVIDES A NARRATIVE THREAD FOR THE INAUGURAL EDITION OF KM³. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?

Mouna Andraos : From the outset we were looking for a theme, and peaceful coexistence quickly emerged as the front-runner. Neighbourliness is an essential component of city living. But it’s about more than just getting along with your neighbours. It’s also about people’s relationships with urban infrastructure, and even how buildings relate to one another. When we were planning KM³, we started by identifying the sites, assessing their potential and thinking about the people who use them. The Quartier des Spectacles is much more than the Place des Festivals, so aside from private spaces and construction sites, we kept every option open.

WAS IT HARD TO CHOOSE THE ARTISTS?

MA : Not at all! The artists we approached were delighted with the idea of being part of this new event. So, just as we’d hoped, we were able to work with representatives of many disciplines – architecture, video games, fashion, dance, virtual reality. We were also happy to involve foreign contributors like Opapivara! from Brazil and the Marshmallow Laser Feast studio, whose work is a gift of the United Kingdom. We think it’s important to show the public some international works.

HOW DOES KM³ ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION?

PD : Everyone is invited to interact with the works, and some of the installations are designed to activate or change when people participate. We also hope the works will inspire people to connect with each other, spark conversations between strangers and lead to new friendships.

HOW SHOULD PEOPLE PREPARE FOR EXPLORING KM³?

MA : That’s the beauty of this public art event – it makes all kinds of experiences possible and can be explored however you want! Visitors can plan an itinerary ahead of time, sign up for a guided tour in the daytime or the evening, and discover all the works found throughout the Quartier, from the Place des Festivals to Les Jardins Gamelin. KM³ is also aimed at people who come across the works by chance. We wanted the students and workers who regularly spend time in the area to take detours from their usual route and discover these amazing artworks that will inspire them to see the city differently.

KM³
Quartier des Spectacles
From 30 August to 15 October