The new l’Imagier opens its doors!

The team at the Imagier exhibition centre opened the doors of their new building to the media on May 21. A modern building that highlights natural light, the centre stands out from its former building without letting its heritage be overlooked. Parts of the old building decorate the entrance hall, suspended in front of the new exhibition hall, long wooden facades recall the historical influence of the Drivers on the region and at the back of the hall there is a large window to take a look at the marina and the imaginary park.

The reconstruction project cost approximately $3 million, including $1,392,523 from the Department of Culture and Communications, $826,509 from Canadian Heritage, $30,000 from the Conférence régionale des élus de l’Outaouais and several private donations.

The building now includes an exhibition room that meets museum standards, an adapted cultural meditation space, a reception area for various audiences and universal access.

But the work has only just begun, according to Michel Bédard, President of l’Imagier, “A building is beautiful, it’s good, but we haven’t invested to rest on our laurels (...) We want to make it a bridge of excellence in the region, in the province and why not across the country.”

The public opening was held on Friday, May 24 with the opening of the group exhibition, entitled Trames narratives, and continued over the weekend with a variety of activities.

 The inaugural exhibition 

Guided by the notion of narrative, Trames narratives, or Storylines, will attempt to combine the notions of reality and imagination to highlight the plural truths omnipresent in the world of the arts.

The inaugural exhibition will seek to highlight a multiplicity of practices and perspectives by creating a space for the sharing of artistic visions, knowledge and interests, in which artists and visitors can engage in a dialogue that is conducive to creation. Six commissioners, Katarzyna Basta, Marianne Breton, Paul Brunet, Marie-Hélène Leblanc, Stefan St-Laurent and Julie Tremble will present various artists who will offer visitors different discourses, experiences and stories by weaving together different narrative layers. 

The artists announced so far are Chun Hua Catherine Dong, David Elliott, Kablusiak, Kim Kielhofner, Carl Trahan, Jennifer Lefort and Mélanie Myers, who have been selected by the curators for their works and reflect their genesis, their experience and their way of observing society. The works presented throughout the exhibition-drawing, collage, sculpture and performance.

MP Greg Fergus, MNAs André Fortin and Robert Bussière and municipal councillors Audrey Bureau, Gilles Chagnon and Mike Duggan were present to say a few words and congratulate the centre’s team. In the words of Robert Bussière, MNA, “The realization of this project demonstrates the government’s desire to give Quebec’s regions access to cultural sites that meet the needs of all.”