Artefact Montréal 2007 - Urban Sculptures

June 27 to September 30, 2007 - Île Sainte-Hélène

Artefact in Latin, arte factum, means the effects of art

celebrating the 40th anniversary of EXPO 67

In 2007, the Centre d’art public is organizing the third Artefact Montréal – Urban Sculptures event: two earlier editions were held on the Lachine Canal in 2001 and the Mountain in 2004. This year Maurice Forget will be the Honorary President succeeding Madeleine Poulin and Lise Bissonnette.

The site chosen for Artefact always combines the three following elements: 1) it is “nomadic” in that it is in a different place each time; 2) this is a large and particularly meaningful site on the Île de Montréal; 3) it is already much visited by the “general public.”

For Artefact Montréal 2007, the artists’ works will be set up on part of the 1967 World Exhibition site. Holding a World Exhibition is a memorable event, a turning point for the host city: at the time, Montreal was literally transformed and became internationally known. In the summer of 2007, the 40th anniversary of EXPO 67, Artefact Montréal will celebrate the event by inviting artists to “look again” at the site and create in situ, ephemeral works there.

The “first category Universal and International Exhibition” held in Montreal celebrated Canadian Confederation. The theme was Man and His World (Saint-Exupéry) and 61 countries from all continents participated.

Universal Exhibitions are part of the tradition and lineage of markets and fairs that over time loose their origin. It was in the 18th century that people began to organize events similar to fairs in which various objects were displayed but were not for sale. The first national – not just regional – “exhibition” took place in Prague in 1791. Several others were held until the mid 19th century, but they only presented products from one country. The first truly international exhibition was held in London in 1851 at the Crystal Palace and brought together 25 countries. Since then, such events have been held regularly in various large cities around the world: New York; Paris in 1855, 1867, 1878, 1889, 1900 and 1937; London in 1862; Philadelphia in 1876 for the centenary of American Independence; Sydney in 1879 and so on.

The Montreal Universal Exhibition had 4 distinct areas: 2 sections on the shore and 2 man-made islands – the enlargement of Île Sainte-Hélène and creation of Île Notre Dame – for a total of 1,000 acres or 400 hectares. The work was “titanic,” encompassing 28 million tons of landfill, 847 buildings, 27 bridges, 51 miles of roads and walkways, 24,484 parking places, 14,950 trees, I87 acres of grass, 898,000 shrubs, plants and bulbs, 256 ponds, fountains and sculptures, 6,150 lampposts, and so on.

For Artefact Montréal 2007, all the artists’ works will be created using the concept of a “pavilion,” responding to the thematic and national pavilions erected at the time –– some still standing today such as the United States’ Biosphere, the Korean pavilion and that of France, which is now the Casino de Montréal. Because the works will be produced by visual artists, the term “pavilion” here does not refer to a true architectural construction, but rather suggests the “follies” that were built in bygone days in a park or garden.

These decorative “follies” were characterized as having a playful, amusing and inventive aspect; they suited the taste of the time for country leisure and for an aesthetic concerned with reproducing models from Antiquity. Some were very refined like the famous Folie de Bagatelle with its pre-romantic gardens, while others were ephemeral, like the follies at Versailles that Marie-Antoinette had constructed for her parties and then demolished.

Architectural follies transcend notions of style, fashion and nationalism, emerging instead from various human emotions such as vanity, pride, passion, obsession, confusion, sorrow and pleasure. A folly is a state of mind, not an architectural style. The folly then is a magical object that is initially “pure:” above all, an object of delight and pleasure.

In this edition of Artefact Montréal 2007, the intention is to re-visit a site but also an era – a given time and place – that will bring back memories for some and at the same time let a new generation discover the great significance of this international event that literally transformed our metropolis.

As in 2001 and 2004, Gilles Daigneault will curate Artefact Montréal 2007. Nicolas Mavrikakis will assist him as co-curator, and will take over the responsibility for Artefact Montréal 2010.

To evoke the international aspect of EXPO 67, artists are coming from the five continents. As well as creating an ephemeral work to last for three months, they are confronted with the most stimulating challenge of making a work concerned with a place that is steeped in memory. These artists were chosen, in particular, for their interest in producing exterior works and for their expertise in this domain.

The works will be installed along a pathway and can be visited on foot in less than 90 minutes – or a shorter time for those who come on a bicycle. The departure point will be Île Sainte-Hélène Metro station, an easily accessible place. As in the preceding editions, the works will be dismantled at the end of the event.

Running concurrently, there will be several offshoots of the main event, allowing the public to become better acquainted with the work of the participating artists. Exhibitions will be held at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Galerie Art Mûr, Galerie Thérèse Dion, Galerie Joyce Yahouda, Galerie Lilian Rodriguez and Galerie Simon Blais.

One of the features of Artefact is to address a broad audience: on one hand, the “specialized” art milieu, and on the other, the “general public” – a captive audience – who already visit Île Sainte-Hélène. In 2007, a special effort will be made to reach these various audiences with guided tours at least once a week.

Serge Fisette
Director