In secret places the art lies.

In the Notman House, an historically significant and pretty amazing space (architecturally as well as culturally) lots of things don’t happen. It is for the most part, unloved, neglected and unused. It is also for sale, and I am terrified of the people I don’t know yet who might buy it, demolish it, or change its inherent character and energy. For despite all of its loneliness and peeling walls, it is perhaps one of my favourite buildings in Montreal, if not of all time.

Which is why it is so amazing to see art in all of its rooms and secret places during the Pop Montreal Festival for the Art POP segment. I will go into each project here in more detail, but these are some of the fabulous artists and their works that graced the spaces the Notman House offers to us all.

There is something that I used to never understand about site specific work (years ago, when I was much, much younger and things were firmly in place on many levels) as I was a pencil-and-paper kind, and could do so anywhere. So for me the idea of people creating work in relation seemed odd somehow. Now, years and years later, with lots firmly not-in-place, I feel that even paper and pencil respond to their environments and that site specific work is inevitable in some ways, so to be conscious of it and consider its meanings is the least one can do.

The Notman House is a gorgeous example of how the smell + feeling + peeling + stains + stories + damp all change and amplify whatever it is that you do there, and most definitely the art that was growing from its walls the past week.

Here’s to the folks who did the work that carefully and thoughtfully contemplated their processes in relation to the house. That some of what they did will stay for the next folks to feel through the paint.

Below find some amazing photos of 2 of the artworks that inhabited Notman for Pop Montreal this year…more to follow…

Dominique Sirois, Ring My Alarm, Art POP/Notman House 2009

Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Art POP Notman House 2009

Filed under artists, festival, installation, local, video | Tags: art pop, Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Dominique Sirois, the notman house | Comment (0)

Art Pop Poppin’ up.

So Art POP is happening soon soon soon, with the first vernissage on the 30th of September at 5pm at 6600 Hutchison….

There’s a ton of stuff going on, so make sure to check out all that’s going down here.

One of the coolest parts about this year is that there are 2 central locations so it’s easy to go see a whole whackload of stuff without feeling overwhelmed. Also, as everything is going on all week, you get aladda chances to swing by and check stuff out, so no pressure. Of the peer kind or otherwise.

The artists that are showcasing this year include Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Adrian Norvid, Lalie Douglas, Dominique Sirois, Kim Kielhofner, Michelle Lacombe & Sheena Hosko, Daniel Iglesia, Brendan Reed, Paul Warne, Christian Pelletier & David Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe Harvey & Adam Bergeron, Richmond Lam & Mathieu Blanchette.

It’s going to be a pretty amazing week. I am going to attempt to interview as many of these fine folks as possible to get a sense of what they’re working on, etc. so stay tuned!!

Filed under artists, events, festival, local | Tags: Adrian Norvid, Brendan Reed, Bridget Moser & Jessica Campbell, Christian Pelletier & David Beaulieu, Daniel Iglesia, Dominique Sirois, Jean-Philippe Harvey & Adam Bergeron, Kim Kielhofner, Lalie Douglas, Mathieu Blanchette, Michelle Lacombe & Sheena Hosko, Paul Warne, Richmond Lam | Comment (0)

Vernissage Tonight at Galerie Push

I waked by Galerie Push (5264 St Laurent) yesterday as they were setting up for their new show, and what I saw of it was very pleasing. The paintings of Suzanne Déry & Justin Stephens caught my eyes and got me real excited with their nonchalant and humorous edge.

The couple will be sharing the space with Pierre-luc Brouillette and, momentarily tonight, with Dominique Sirois, a personal fave of mine who will be performing in the gallery at 6pm. The vernissage starts then, and it ends at 9pm. The show itself is up until the end of the month.

Filed under events, local, painting, performance, vernissage | Tags: Dominique Sirois, Galerie Push, Justin Stephens, Pierre-luc Brouillette, Suzanne Déry | Comment (0)