Montreal's Electronic Arts Scene: A French Visitor's Report
In Montreal, the digital arts festival Images du Futur was established in 1985 by Hervé Fischer and Ginette Major, though it is no longer active. New media initiatives flourished with the emergence of artist-run centers such as PRIM, Vidéographe, and GIV. Collaborations in holography involved artists Georges Dyens, Marie-Christiane Mathieu, and Philippe Boissonnet at the Centre d'art holographique et photonique de Montréal. The DIFFUSION iMédia showcases electroacoustic music, while UQAM’s GRAM is directed by Louise Poissant. The SAT serves as a venue for student projects, conferences, and festivals. Interactive exhibits like Neam Cathod's Cyber_mondrian can be found at Oboro. Studio XX provides training and hosts events like Les HTMelles and XX Files. The Fondation Daniel Langlois is developing a research center. MUTEK festival featured AElab and Matmos, and in Quebec City, Méduse supports groups like Avatar and Jocelyn Robert's Le crachecophage. The journey concluded with the exhibition Métamorphoses et clonage at the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal.
Key facts
- Hervé Fischer and Ginette Major founded Images du Futur in 1985.
- Artist-run centers PRIM, Vidéographe, and GIV emerged in Montreal.
- Holographic artists Georges Dyens, Marie-Christiane Mathieu, Philippe Boissonnet are associated with Centre d'art holographique et photonique de Montréal.
- DIFFUSION iMédia is a label for electroacoustic music.
- Louise Poissant leads GRAM at UQAM.
- SAT presents student works and hosts events opposite Musée d'art contemporain.
- Oboro gallery features interactive works like Neam Cathod's Cyber_mondrian.
- Studio XX is a feminist media arts center with festival Les HTMelles and radio XX Files.
- Fondation Daniel Langlois supports arts with a research center and online database.
- MUTEK festival featured AElab and Matmos.
- Méduse in Quebec City houses multiple independent arts groups.
- Jocelyn Robert created Le crachecophage with Laetitia Sonami in 1997.
- Exhibition Métamorphoses et clonage at Musée d'art contemporain included Spencer Tunick, Janieta Eyre, Zhang Huan.
- SCAN at Villa Arson in France launched with an all-male team.
Entities
Artists
- Hervé Fischer
- Ginette Major
- Georges Dyens
- Marie-Christiane Mathieu
- Philippe Boissonnet
- Louise Poissant
- Neam Cathod
- Robin C. Pacific
- Martin Tétreault
- Xavier Charles
- Laiwan
- Stéphane Claude
- Gisèle Trudel
- Matmos
- Boris Firquet
- Jocelyn Robert
- Laetitia Sonami
- Louise Provencher
- Richard Max Tremblay
- Spencer Tunick
- Janieta Eyre
- Zhang Huan
- Daniel Langlois
Institutions
- Images du Futur
- PRIM
- Vidéographe
- GIV (Groupe d'intervention vidéo)
- Centre d'art holographique et photonique de Montréal
- DIFFUSION iMédia
- UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal)
- GRAM (Groupe de recherche en arts médiatiques)
- SAT (Société des arts technologiques)
- Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
- Oboro
- Studio XX
- McGill University
- Fondation Daniel Langlois
- Softimage
- MUTEK
- FCMM (Festival international nouveau cinéma nouveaux médias)
- FIMAV (Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville)
- Méduse
- La Bande Vidéo
- Recto Verso
- Vu
- L'Œil de poisson
- Avatar
- Ohm
- Concordia University
- SCAN
- Villa Arson
- Parachute
- Etc
- Vie des arts
- Chair & Métal
- Archée
Locations
- Montreal
- Quebec City
- Canada
- France
- Victoriaville
- Mont-Royal
- Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle
- New York
Sources
- artpress —