When the CCFM’s artistic team approached the Maison to curate the exhibition celebrating their 50th anniversary by revamping its collection, acceptance was immediate. Indeed, showcasing the visual arts of Manitoba’s Francophonie is one of La Maison’s areas of expertise.

Conceiving the exhibition for the 50th anniversary was filled with many challenges: avoiding clichés while ensuring identification by the general public, paying tribute to the place and its artists while revealing lesser-known aspects, celebrating the rich history of the CCFM while remaining anchored in the present…

These challenges prompted us to reflect in depth on the issues and problems of public collecting: who we collect, why, how, in what context these works found themselves there, how to (re)enhance them and make them more visible.

DATES AND TIMES :

January 25 – May 16

Monday to Friday

9am – 1pm | 2pm – 5pm

Vernissage

Thursday, January 25 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

LOCATION :

CCFM Art Gallery

A subjective yet universal approach was soon adopted, according to artistic preferences. The layout of the space allowed us to order what seemed arbitrary, highlighting three main themes: cultural-historical context, landscape and creation. These themes intersect in the gallery’s triangular space, allowing a presentation outside a purely chronological context.

On this anniversary occasion, a wish is formulated for the future of the CCFM: that its collection be brought out of the vaults to be explored from all angles and by eyes from all horizons, so that it may be rediscovered time and again and embraced by the public as the cultural jewel that it is. Long live the CCFM, long live art!

Biographies

Lou-Anne Bourdeau Lou-Anne Bourdeau is responsible for all activities at the Maison des artistes visuels francophones, including writing, communications and coordination of programming, activities and events. She studied textile arts and crafts at the Maison des métiers d’art de Québec and art history at Université Laval in Québec City. Her master’s project on the painter Fernand Leduc was awarded a SSHRC bursary. Her versatility in art and communications has given her a wealth of professional experience with arts organizations in Quebec and Manitoba, including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Complexe Méduse’s Connexion/Déconnexion project, Manif d’art and MAWA. She coordinated 3 interprovincial residencies for Réseau N.O. as part of the Contextualisation I project.

An artist and craftswoman, her work has notably been presented at the Triennale Internationale des arts textiles en Outaouais and in an exhibition at the Maison des artistes visuels francophones in 2018 questioning the concept of landscape. Lou-Anne was part of the first edition of the Incubateur de commissariat, where she worked on the exhibition “En conversation”, which she co-curated with Alexandra Keim to celebrate the 20th anniversary of La Maison des artistes. She also curated the “Incarnation” and “double trame” exhibitions, presented in 2022 and 2023 at La Maison. Lou-Anne is President of the AGAVF Board of Directors.

Camille-Zoé Valcourt-Synnott has been working for La Maison des artistes visuels francophones as a gallery administrator and manager since summer 2022. A multidisciplinary artist and cultural worker originally from Quebec City (QC), she received a BFA from Concordia University (Montreal, QC) in 2018 and an MFA from NSCAD University (Halifax, NS) in 2020. Her performances reflect on the value of the artist’s work, perceptions of productivity and where life and art meet. Referring to daily chores, (un)paid work and invisible labor, her practice highlights flaws that are already present in the art world, but too often go unacknowledged. Her performances and multidisciplinary work have been presented in artist-run centers and galleries across Canada.

She currently sits on the boards of Eyelevel Gallery (Halifax, NS) and CARFAC Maritimes. In fall 2023, she was part of the 5th cohort of the Incubateur en commissariat, a support program for emerging francophone curators, piloted by the Association des groupes en arts visuels francophones (AGAVF). Her research project addresses the working conditions of artists and cultural workers in Canada.

 

La Maison des artistes visuels francophones is a non-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of meaningful dialogue about art and creativity for the francophone community. At La Maison, we warmly invite and welcome people of all backgrounds and ages, as well as artists from all disciplines of the visual arts, to engage in a multicultural discussion about minority communities, identity and belonging. We offer professional support for artists at all stages of their careers, while bringing innovative ways of experiencing art to the whole community through exhibitions and public programs.

For more information on our programming and activities, visit our website: www.maisondesartistes.mb.ca and follow us on social networks!

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