Few people outside the fine arts are familiar with the name and admirable reputation of public and environmental artist Catherine Widgery, but it’s safe to say that many a Quebecer has been transfixed by her powerful, larger-than-life sculptures and designs. From Wind Fossils (1988), found in the grassy knolls of the Rimouski Museum to Wind Boat (1992), the oblong steel-and-aluminium windmill that greets drivers as they enter Ville Lasalle, Widgery’s artworks have been illustrating the history of this province for over 20 years. In 1992, she was commissioned to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Montreal. The result, Passing Song, is a remembrance to the many beavers killed during the fur trade that brought commerce to the city’s port. Montrealers would also be advised to look out for Le vent se lève (1996), which stands in front of the HEC Montreal, the business school at the Université de Montréal. (DN)
http://www.raev.ca / http://www.quebec-elan.org / http://www.widgery.com / http://www.blackboxproductions.tv
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"Recognizing…
Few people outside the fine arts are familiar with the name and admirable reputation of public and environmental artist Catherine Widgery, but it’s safe to say that many a Quebecer has been transfixed by her powerful, larger-than-life sculptures and designs. From Wind Fossils (1988), found in the grassy knolls of the Rimouski Museum to Wind Boat (1992), the oblong steel-and-aluminium windmill that greets drivers as they enter Ville Lasalle, Widgery’s artworks have been illustrating the history of this province for over 20 years. In 1992, she was commissioned to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Montreal. The result, Passing Song, is a remembrance to the many beavers killed during the fur trade that brought commerce to the city’s port. Montrealers would also be advised to look out for Le vent se lève (1996), which stands in front of the HEC Montreal, the business school at the Université de Montréal. (DN)
http://www.raev.ca / http://www.quebec-elan.org / http://www.widgery.com / http://www.blackboxproductions.tv
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"Recognizing…
Through her films, Karen Cho recounts untold histories and explores themes of immigration and social justice. The award-winning documentary, In the Shadow of Gold Mountain, explored the legacy of Canada’s Chinese head tax. Her feature-length documentary, Seeking Refuge, which follows five asylum seekers, earned a 2009 Gemini nomination and has been used by organizations such as the Canadian Council for Refugees. She directed four episodes of Global TV’s Past Lives, a documentary series about Canadians in search of their ancestral roots, and worked on Extraordinary Canadians, a biography series that explored the lives of eminent Canadians, where Cho directed episodes on Nellie McClung, Lester B. Pearson, and Norman Bethune. She is currently developing a documentary about the women’s movement for the National Film Board. She is also working on an experimental documentary entitled Family Secrets, a collage piece that uses old family movies, found photos, and archival images. (PF)
http://www.raev.ca…
Born in India and having lived in Pakistan, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada, painter Cheryl Braganza brings her global experiences to the message of optimism that shines through her artwork. A mainly self-taught and prolific artist, Braganza uses brilliant color and texture to characterize emotion and movement in her naïve and richly intuitive paintings, which often reflect her day-to-day life in Montreal and elsewhere. An activist for human rights, she collaborates with charities to better the lives of people within her Montreal neighbourhood and globally. Having first exhibited her work in 1964 at the Lord Mayor’s Exhibition in London, since showcasing her paintings at Expo 67 Braganza has made Montreal and its suburbs her creative home. Of her art, the painter says, “I want my art to play a role in lifting people’s spirits, in challenging their assumptions, in provoking thought, thus promoting dialogue between peoples towards peace.” (DN)
http://www.raev.ca / http://www.quebec-elan.org…
Gioconda Barbuto proves that success in dance can be sustained even into one’s fifties. Born in Toronto, she began her training in the 1960s and still works regularly as both a choreographer and performer. She made her name as a soloist with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal from 1980–96. While there, she performed with dozens of choreographers, including James Kudelka and Ginette Laurin. Before that, she danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Minnesota Dance Theater. Barbuto was recognized for her choreography in 1996 with the Clifford E. Lee Award. Two years later, she was among a group of dancers, all over the age of 40, invited to join Nederlands Dans Theater III. Gioconda spent eight years with NDT III and is featured in two of Jiri Kylian’s award-winning films, Birth-Day and Car Men. Barbuto has continued to choreograph and dance for independent projects, including the 2008 projects, LifeLines, and Margie Gillis’s M.Body.7. (PF)
http://www.raev.ca / http://www.quebec-elan.org…
Michel Perron is a versatile performer who takes on comic and dramatic roles in both English and French. In the more than 20 years he has been acting, he’s performed in over 40 stage productions, 55 films, 10 television series, 50 commercials, and given life to several cartoon characters. He has often been called on by Montreal writer Steve Galuccio: he performed in the 2009 play In Piazza San Domenico at the Centaur Theatre, played in both the stage and film versions of the hit, Mambo Italiano, and appeared in the TV series, Ciao Bella. Perron won a 2007 ACTRA Award for outstanding voice performance for Monster Allergy and received a Masques Award for a supporting role in the English production of Michel Tremblay’s play, Assorted Candies. He was born in Richmond, Quebec, just north of Sherbrooke, grew up on Montreal’s South Shore and trained in the theatre program at Dawson College.
http://www.raev.ca / http://www.quebec-elan.org / http://www.blackboxproductions.tv
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"Recognizing…
Black Box Productions provides visual documentation for artists, performers and institutions. We create video profiles of dancers, musicians, actors, photographers, and visual artists.
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