When I was invited to participate in this special Montreal issue of Canadian Art magazine, one idea came immediately to mind. Having had the chance to cover both visual culture and non-commercial music for the Montreal newspaper Le Devoir, I wanted to write about the immense diversity of the cultural practices ongoing in the city. The editor of Canadian Art had come up with a clear program I interpreted as if I had to elect a few artists in the critic’s pantheon, but I could not reduce to a few names a city that should be known for the impressive range and vitality of its cultural offerings.
Montreal is known as a city of festivals. Jazz, French music, theatre, contemporary dance and techno culture in its many faces (think of MUTEK, MEG and Elektra) all boast their own lively events, and those devoted to the visual arts match this scene-wide effervescence. Two biennials and one triennial exist: Le Mois de la photo à Montréal (the 8th edition took place last September), La Biennale de Montréal (whose 3rd edition occurred in 2002) and the youngest, with its odd name, L’Art qui fait Boum!, dedicated to emerging artists.
So begins our Winter 2003 cover story. To keep reading, view a PDF of the entire article.
