“This comes from the fact that the environmental branch of the United Nations has made water one of the emergencies to be addressed in terms of public awareness. For our part, we noticed that several artists were working on this theme. So we wanted to take advantage of this momentum», Said Gauthier Melin, general and artistic director of Adélard, in an interview.
The 2024 program of its organization will be officially launched at 4:30 p.m. this Saturday, just after the opening of the new exhibition by Maude Arès, entitled The frogs will be there. They will undulate the earth and swallow the Moon. Yes, you read correctly!
As part of a very original approach, the artist used ceramic containers and various finds to design 30 floating sculptures, which were then linked together and installed on a pond in Frelighsburg.
“It creates a rather unique dialogue between a work in situ and a natural space. The objective was to explore the notion of habitat and to reveal the relationships of interdependence within this small ecosystem,” explained Gauthier Melin.
“As soon as something happens with a work, some sort of imbalance will impact the entire installation.”
Visual for Maude Arès’ new exhibition, “The frogs will be there. They will undulate the earth and swallow the Moon. (Adelard)
Variations on the same theme
In addition to the exhibition itself, accessible from a path, Maude Arès has improved the formula with two “concerts in homage to the pond” (May 18 and August 10, at 3:30 p.m.), visits in boat (every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., upon registration and in good weather) and as well as a conference on the links between current art and environmental protection (date to be confirmed).
Reading the press release also allowed us to come across the name of Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette. The popular novelist and her mother, Manon Barbeau, selected 36 prints for the exhibition River views, before writing and narrating the texts that accompany this “poetic and visual stroll”. The curious can go to the Bishop Stewart of the Holy Trinity Church.
Obligatory passage, by Pascale Théorêt-Groulx, completes the trio of exhibitions related to water. The artist combined several artistic techniques to explore the impacts of dams on the tributaries of Missisquoi Bay.
“Maude Arès offers a sensitive approach to ecological balances, while with Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and Manon Barbeau, it is more about the idea of water as a place of memories and Quebec identity. And finally, Pascale Théorêt-Groulx brings a very scientific look,” summarized the general director of Adélard.
Many exhibitions and activities are planned in the Grange Adélard until mid-November. (Adelard)
Residences and new features
As has become customary, the program also includes several artist residencies. Théo Bignon, Claudie Gagnon and Frédérique Ulman-Gagné will present their work as part of the “immersions” section. Andréanne Abbandonza-Bergeron, Marcela Armas, Julie Delporte and curator Noémie Fortin will focus on research-creation during their visits to Studio Adélard, located in Dunham.
Frédérique Ulman-Gagné (Adelard)
The Adélard team also announced the creation of the Social Club, a sort of one-day festival which will combine performances, participatory creative workshops and conferences.
“We want to show how art can create a link between the rural environment and LGBTQ+ identities,” explained Gauthier Melin.
Children and teenagers have not been forgotten since an artistic day camp will be offered from August 19 to 23. We particularly wanted to improve an offer considered quite meager for 12 to 18 year olds in Brome-Missisquoi.
The 2024 program of the cultural organization Adélard, based in Frelighsburg
