It Happened in your Neighbourhood
"It Happened in your Neighbourhood" by Christina Bagatavicius, Summer 2009, pp. 92-94
A playful Daniel Buren installation that riffed on the building’s exterior by overlaying colourful geometric patterns onto an attention-grabbing skylight was an indication of the contemporary spirit that swept over the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec with “It Happened in your Neighbourhood: Contemporary Art in Quebec City,” a major exhibition that brought together nearly 50 artists who have connections with the city. The museum approached the idea of locality with an open mind, electing to also include artists who have influenced Quebec’s artistic milieu from the outside.
The show inspires delight from the outset by turning the museum into a cabinet of curiosities. No corridor remains untouched; contemporary artworks now occupy peripheral spaces and neglected corners. Outside the main entrance is Martin Bureau’s hilarious, irreverent Tribute to Her Gracious Majesty (2008), a cast-iron-and-aluminum-leaf sewer cover that parodies Canadian coins with its tongue-incheek portrayal of monarchy. Skilfully installed on a Hollywood-style red carpet overlooking the Plains of Abraham, the work outfits Queen Elizabeth with caribou antlers and parodies Quebec’s uncomfortable historical ties with England.
The exhibition is arranged thematically, with works grouped into several eclectic categories. The first, “The Good Life, The Good Old Days,” combines ideas of nostalgia and heritage with scathing humour. Highlights include Doyon/Demer’s Do It Yourself (2002), a clever video-based work that tells the tale of a moose hunt with a miming hand, and BGL’s Adult Toy (2003), a witty critique of the excesses of leisure culture that takes the form of a toppled and fatally punctured ATV. Giorgia Volpe’s Off-Course (2007), a life-sized seascape and boat installation woven from deconstructed and abstracted Quebec election signage, lends a more political dimension.
Another section, “From Bric-A-Brac to the Baroque,” shifts the focus onto materiality and modes of artistic production. Diane Landry’s kinetic installation Mandala Naya (2002) lends a fantastical quality to the everyday by immersing the viewer in a kaleidoscopic experience. On the baroque side of the spectrum is Yannick Pouliot’s The Courtesan (2002), a plain broom closet that comes to life when the viewer enters. Once the closet door closes, a Cinderella moment unfolds: the space is animated by pure theatrics, with the sound of Mozart filling the room as an elaborate chandelier illuminates an ornately decorated interior.
A section entitled “Resonating Bodies” explores organic forms and associations with the body. The delicate, contemplative ink drawings of Lucie Robert make a strong impact here. Her works depict quirky interconnected doppelgänger figures that seem oddly fragile and born out of the subconscious. The final section, “The State of Place (Sound Salon),” provides a modern-day twist on notions of landscape and space. A standout here is Patrick Altman, who has constructed a topographic landscape from a wealth of black-andwhite thumbnail photographs painstakingly pinned onto a wall. The carefully layered sequences of images document the museum’s collection and are deliberately positioned so that lesser-known artworks are obscured from view. The work is an inventive panorama built from salvaged remnants of Quebec’s heritage.
The exhibition is at its best when its mischievous sensibility is foregrounded and cultural stereotypes and histories are challenged. When the show veers into more poetic, generic artistic territory, there are moments that feel overly ambitious and disparate. These minor concerns notwithstanding, this exhibition offers an enchanting journey that reflects the city’s cultural vibrancy.
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