Creative Montréal, Where Art Makes the City Vibrate

Since February 19, Place des Arts has been vibrating to a very special rhythm: that of creativity and digital technology. In fact, the most inspiring vibration comes from the heart of Place des Arts, more precisely from ARTVstudio. Until April 18, the Montréal Créative exhibition-event welcomes visitors who want to experience a meeting of art and digital creation.

The

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result of an inspired partnership between the specialty channel ICI ARTV and the event creator MASSIVart, Montréal Créativeis already in its third edition. In addition to being a wonderful showcase for the creative minds that colour the metropolis, Montréal Créative acts as a creative laboratory and a playful lounge. It is a polymorphous event that fits perfectly with the digital universe.

As soon as one enters ARTVstudio, the strange beauty of the works on display is striking. Whether it is Mathieu Valade’s dog with a mirror or the luminous tower Minutes Mapping designed by the visual alchemists at Moment Factory, one immediately feels the creative energy that defines our metropolis. For Minutes Mapping, a project implemented by Thien Vu Dang and Quentin Bleton, the idea is to push the limits of the visual language of mapping. Indeed, all the works brought together at ARTVstudio participate in this stretching of creative

a playful tone and sometimes in an introspective one.

In addition to the exhibition, Montréal Créative houses a games lounge presented by Ubisoft, the video-game publisher. The space celebrates independent video-game creation by offering visitors the chance to try two games. The first, Egg Boss, was created by Paloma Dawkins, a young animator and illustrator who has already produced projects for the National Film Board of Canada and the artist Deadmau5. Programmer and game designer Joachim Desplandis behind Game Game Video Game, a frantic and eccentric arcade-style game that should not be missed.

To complete the experience, Montréal Créative also offers a series of workshops. Among them is échoFab, the first Québec FabLab, a fabrication laboratory that aims to move from the digital world into the real world. Certified as an Operating FabLab by the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, échoFab sets up at ARTVstudio on Thursday, March 19 and 26 to deploy an ambitious project called Imagine a Montréal of the Future. To illustrate cohesion betweenart and technology, the échoFab team is creating an artistic installation using all the fabrication technologies available in its lab. CNC, 3D printer, laser cutting and electronics are used to create a dynamic, reactive and stimulating installation made mostly of recycled materials. The installation unfolds in two stages. First, the échoFab team assembles it; then the public is invited to develop and design the evolution of the structure. It is a truly stimulating initiative that explores the potential of digital technology while allowing the general public to learn more about new digital-fabrication practices.