A festive start for Chromatic

Positioning itself as a showcase for Montréal’s artistic and creative influence, Chromatic is one of those festivals one discovers with the eager, insatiable excitement of a child. This fifth edition opened beautifully at the Chalet du Mont-Royal, an emblematic place in the city. The theme of this edition, habitat, appeared in many forms and original approaches.

Many artists offered their singular visions of the world. The plurality of interactive imagination pushed the thin boundaries between disciplines. Between visual and sound, technology and raw material, the works fit perfectly into the festival’s guiding idea: a celebration of contemporary art. As oneof the many participants in Printemps numérique, the event proves the diversity

of an artistic practice that is

constantly evolving.

Saturday began with Piknic Chromatic in a relaxed atmosphere: yoga, picnic and even a silent disco warmed hearts for the night to come. Nuit Chromatic introduced different works and projections from Centre Phi to the sound of thrilling musical performances. I had a real crush on Foxtrott, who immersed us in a straightforward and effective electro-pop world. I certainly do not want to miss her performance at the upcoming Festival MEG. Walking among photography, painting and video, I had the feeling of being in one of those precious moments: seeing through another person’s sensitivity. In the exhibition, I was particularly moved by Habiter métro by Hejer Chelbi, whichplaces the human being in a form of exclusion from habitat. I also found happiness in the immersive installations. The spectre of the catastrophe by David Spriggs remains my favourite. This frozen breath outside time, a second in the eye of a catastrophe, restores

The other part of the night,After Chromatic, for the more festive among us, ended in the hangar of the MASSIVart space in the Old Port. That was the only downside of my adventure. Between a poorly used space and somewhat messy DJ sets, I was left wanting more, even during

CLAIRE’s set, whose style I like. The festival continues until the weekend. Between the Weird Collage Show, the Block Party and the closing evening, there will be something