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Make yourself at home in the Quartier des Spectacles’ backyard
Montreal, May 3, 2018 – To celebrate the return of balmy weather, the Quartier des Spectacles invites you to enjoy the pleasures of outdoor life in the heart of downtown with an astonishing original installation, Dans ma cour! From May 3 to 27, reconnect with the joys of spring by taking a sunny break in a place that’s sure to make you smile.
FROM KITSCHY TO BUCOLIC
As part of Sainte-Catherine Street’s summertime pedestrian zone, Dans ma cour! will add a dash of whimsical beauty to the street and the Place des Festivals. A nod to typical Montreal backyards, a series of eccentric yet inviting rest and picnic areas will help you escape the urban frenzy for a moment. The series of small scenes with various inspirations – bucolic, romantic, tropical – will bring back some fond memories. These kitschy and vivid scenes are also home to silly and colourful animals like pink sheep and orange rabbits.
The street and the Place des Festivals will become sociable spaces for passers-by, families and local workers to get together. Consisting of groupings of street and patio furniture such as porch swings, kid-sized Adirondack chairs, hammocks and loungers, Dans ma cour! will be a perfect setting for an al fresco snack.
This fun and original installation was created by multidisciplinary artist and designer Mélanie Crespin. Approaching the design of spaces like theatrical set dressing, Mélanie crafts her pieces to create a dialogue between people with their surroundings. The ten mini-scenes comprising Dans ma cour! propose a playful and unusual meeting in a living place such as public spaces. Dans ma cour! is a production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and a executive realization of Sapin MTL.
EVERYBODY OUTSIDE FOR A MEGA-PICNIC!
On Thursday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you’re invited to the Place des Festivals to celebrate the opening of the Quartier’s “backyards”! Montrealers, students, local residents and workers: bring your lunch or pick one up from one of the on-site food trucks. It’s a chance to take a break and spend some quality time in a fun place!
CHECKMATE
Lastly, if you’re looking for a game to play with friends or a battle of wits with a new opponent, check out the giant chessboards on Sainte-Catherine St.
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Dans ma cour !
May 3 to 27, 2018 in Place des Festivals and on Sainte-Catherine Street between De Bleury and Saint-Urbain
Monday-Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tous dehors !
Spring mega-picnic
Thursday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Place des Festivals, at the corner of Jeanne-Mance and Sainte-Catherine
Giant chess
May 3 to 27 and August 2 to September 9
Noon to 8 p.m. on Sainte-Catherine St. between Jeanne-Mance and Saint-Urbain
Sainte-Catherine St. pedestrian zone
May 3 to September 9, 2018
Between De Bleury and Saint-Laurent
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mélanie Crespin is a multidisciplinary artist and designer who specializes in exhibition design. A graduate of the École européenne supérieure d’art de Bretagne, in France, she developed an interest in garden and landscape art and soon began creating artistic installations and gardens. She worked for the Montreal-based firm gsmprjct°, which creates and produces major exhibitions, before joining the Vous êtes ici collective in 2011, where her creations included the scenography for the evolving exhibition 1000 jours pour la planète/Camp de base at the Montreal Botanical Garden. She is also the creator of the exhibition design for Notman, which earned the McCord Museum an award of excellence from the Société des Musées du Québec.
ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP
The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on several building façades. The Quartier des Spectacles is a showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content.
The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 70 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination, and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership is supported by the Ville de Montréal.
For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com
Photos
Available on request
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Marie Lamoureux | marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com |
