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KM3 A NEW PUBLIC ART EVENT IN THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES
Montréal, Tuesday, September 19, 2017 – Until October 15, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership invites Montrealers and visitors to discover a new, participatory public art walk called KM3 (pronounced kilomètre cube), part of the celebration of Montreal’s 375th anniversary. The general public, families and art aficionados will all enjoy the novel sensory and artistic experience of strolling through the Quartier des Spectacles to see and interact with the works.
WORKS with a NEIGHBOURLY THEME
KM3 comprises 22 immersive, participatory or contemplative works, most of which were designed specifically for Montreal. Eighteen were created by artists from Quebec, and four by foreign artists. The works will occupy building façades, squares, parks, sidewalks and windows throughout the Quartier des Spectacles, helping people see the city in a new light – surprising, dreamlike, reinvented.
The artists involved – more than 30 in all – come from a wide range of disciplines: visual arts, sculpture, video games, interactive design, fashion, dance and architecture. The artists were selected by curators Mélissa Mongiat and Mouna Andraos of Daily tous les jours, in collaboration with Julie Bélisle of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal and Pascale Daigle, the director of programming for the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.
The curators chose the theme of neighbourliness for this first edition of KM3. For and with the public, the artists have dreamed up some new ways for everyone to live together in the city as good neighbours. Collectively, they invite us to imagine, experience and see the city differently.
WORKS THAT SUGGEST NEW WAYS TO INTERACT WITH THE CITY.
- MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST (London, UK), DPT., PRESSTUBE, HEADSPACE STUDIO (Montreal, Canada) – A COLOSSAL WAVE - Le Parterre
An interactive virtual reality work in which real-world and virtual actions merge, freeing the imagination and intriguing passers-by. A Colossal Wave is also connected to the Phi Centre, where participants are invited to explore the work’s virtual world from another perspective.
Commissioned by the British Council, in collaboration with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and Hull UK City of Culture 2017, with the support of the GREAT Britain campaign, the Canadian High Commission in the UK, the Phi Centre and the BFI Vision Awards. -
ENSEMBLE ENSEMBLE – The Compassion Machine - Saint-Laurent metro station
By letting the immense camera scan them, spectators receive a personalized prediction of their future altruistic acts. Co-production: NFB -
RAFAEL LOZANO-HEMMER – Redundant Assembly - Pavillon Sainte-Catherine, UQAM A gallery of interactive mirrors superimposes the features of viewers with those of previous viewers, creating ephemeral composite portraits that straddle past and present. Partner: UQAM
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HUMAN PLAYGROUND – Milan Gervais and Hubert Lafore – Side Walk – Sainte-Catherine Street
An urban choreographic installation featuring poetic relationship games, silly situations, and invitations to dance on the sidewalk.
SEEING THE CITY’S SYMBOLS IN A NEW LIGHT.
PATRICK BÉRUBÉ – Our DNA – Promenade des Artistes
An Installation using a powerful symbol of Montreal identity: a spiral staircase suspended in the air and adorned with unusual items embodying the culture of neighbourliness and friendly back alleys.MICHEL DE BROIN – Seuils – Pavillon J.-A.-DeSève de l’UQAM
An installation with twelve metro-car doors forming a pathway for the public to follow. Partners: STM, UQAMIN OUT - OPAVIVARÁ!, (Brazil) – Complexe Desjardins
A creator of urban mini-utopias, the collective renews our vision of coexistence by blurring the line between private and public space.Partners: Complexe DesjardinsPAVRITA WICKRAMASINGHE – Frontier – Ruelle Dufault corner Sanguinet
Part floating island and part chandelier, a hanging boat lights the pavement below with a fantastical dance of light and shadow, reminding us of the nearby St. Lawrence River. Partner: Cactus
WORKS THAT HELP US THE URBAN LANDSCAPE DIFFERENTLY.
PHILIPPE ALLARD – La vie m’échappe – Loop starting/ending on Sainte-Catherine St. East
A poetic stroll punctuated with illuminated signs that help us appreciate otherwise unnoticed details in the urban landscape.LES ALTS – Place des alts – Place des Festivals
An interactive audio guide that immerses the participant in a blend of fantastical and realistic stories through a series of visual riddles. Partner: CALQTHEM GAMES & LEBLEU DENASTAS DESIGN STUDIO – We’re In This Together (France) – Place des Arts and Place des Festivals steps
Collaborative games featuring fun ways to make progress together and get to know each other. Partner: UQAMCHLOË LUM & YANNICK DESRANLEAU – Laocoön – Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
A photographic installation about the modern whistleblower phenomenon, with links to Virgil’s classic Aeneid. Partner: TNMANDREANNE ABBONDANZA-BERGERON – Inside Views – Berri Street
A series of residential windows in an urban park, through which we glimpse buildings past and future.UQAM – Stéphane Pratte, Anouk Bergeron, Karin Vouillamoz – Formation – Transformations –– Pavillon Hubert-Aquin de l’UQAM
An evolving project that transforms before our eyes based on the viewer’s position and weather conditions. Partner: UQAM
LUMINOUS WORKS THAT COME TO LIFE AFTER DARK.
MANATAVO – Bóglò glooïk – Façade of the Pavillon Président-Kennedy de l’UQAM
A playful and evocative exploration of communication through a video project and interactive soundtrack. Partner: UQAMVINCENT MORISSET and CAROLINE ROBERT — Bridge - Bench — Place de la Paix
An interactive projection that visitors transform as they sit on a bench in the centre of the square. The work embodies the evolution of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and an expression of the brief encounters among the square’s regulars, skaters and passers-by.ATOMIC3 – Prrr... – Avenue de l’Hôtel-de-ville
Music and lights evoke the neighbourhood’s memories. The glow emanating from enormous blinds invites passers-by to walk down this quiet street and discover a small house frozen in time.YING GAO – Still life – A Certain Kind of Nature – Façade of UQAM’s Design centre
Undulating, interactive textile sculptures inspired by mathematical forms, accompanied by a video projection. Partner: UQAMALEXANDRE CASTONGUAY – Bike Wheel – Grande Bibliothèque
An enormous wheel made out of bicycles is activated by participants pedalling bikes on the ground. “Agit POV” units attached to the bicycles display words from passers-by on the wheels. After dark, the work also includes a video projection. Partner: BAnQ, Grande Bibliothèque
WORKS FROM THE MUNICIPAL PUBLIC ART COLLECTION.
GILLES MIHALCEAN – Paquets de lumière – Le Parterre
A triptych of sculptures whose dancing forms celebrate performance.JONATHAN VILLENEUVE – Lux obscura – Émery St.</
An installation paying tribute to film noir through patterns of shadow and light projected on the ground.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Complementing the art walk, a compelling series of festive events will energize the Quartier des Spectacles during KM3, including Humanorium : l’étrange fête foraine taking place from October 5 to 15, 2017, in place Émilie-Gamelin.
With its tents, trailers, carousel and shooting gallery, HUMANORIUM resembles 19th and 20th century carnivals… only this one’s attractions were created by contemporary artists: a grocery-cart carousel, cabinets of curiosities packed with assorted sculptures, photographs and soundscapes.
A project by EXMURO ARTS PUBLICS Curators: Vincent Roy and Ève Cadieux
ABOUT KM3
KM3 (kilomètre cube) opens new perspectives on the city through today’s most innovative public art. From the Quartier des Spectacles’ iconic squares to some of its most unusual places, this art walk features more than 20 immersive, participatory and contemplative public artworks that renew our vision of the urban fabric and the people we share it with.
KM3 is an initiative of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and is one of the government of Quebec’s gifts to Montreal on the occasion of its 375th anniversary. The event is made possible by the financial support of, among others, the government of Quebec and the Ville de Montréal within the framework of the Entente sur le développement culturel de Montréal.
From Ausgut 30 to October 15 octobre
In the Quartier des Spectacles in Montréal.
km3artpublic.com
Consult biographies of artists and curators (in French only).
See the map and the booklet of KM3.
Consult KM3 magazine. (in French only)
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 60 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 and the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine of the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire.
For more information, visit quartierdesspectacles.com.
ABOUT THE SOCIETY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MONTRÉAL’S 375TH ANNIVERSARY
The Society for the Celebration of Montréal’s 375th Anniversary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to organize the celebrations and socioeconomic contributions that will mark Montréal’s 375th anniversary in 2017. With a focus on promoting Montréal expertise, it acts as a catalyst for local forces in carrying out its mandate: to mobilize the community, implement a funding strategy, rigorously manage public funds, develop quality programming and ensure the visibility of the celebrations.
The Society benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal, the Québec government, the Canada government and private funding from 12 Great Montrealers. For more information, see 375mtl.com
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To learn more about the contribution of the Québec government to Montréal’s 375th Anniversary celebrations, click here.
PHOTO
Image downloads: bit.ly/2yvLt4F
MEDIA CONTACT
Marie Lamoureux | marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com |
Mélanie Mingotaud | melanie@mingo2.ca |
Society for the Celebration of Montreal’s 375th anniversary
Isabelle Pelletier | ipelletier@375mtl.com |
