MONTREAL, Feb. 7, 2025 /CNW/ - The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and Galerie de l'UQAM are joining forces to present This situation, an emblematic work by Tino Sehgal, from February 14 to March 29, 2025, at Galerie de l'UQAM. Acquired by the MAC in 2011, This situation, which has no physical form and cannot be accompanied by any descriptive literature, was first presented at the MAC during an exhibition dedicated to the artist in 2013. More than 10 years later, the work continues its unique process of transmission and oral conservation through this joint exhibition.
Organized by Mark Lanctôt, curator of the collection at the MAC, This situation uses the trope of the tableau vivant, or living picture, to call into question the traditional relationship between the public and the perception of what a contemporary art exhibition should be. The audience, seen as an integral part of the work, can influence its progress: everyone is invited to exchange on a range of concepts and to engage in a conversation leading to critical reflection on the current world.
The fundamental immateriality of Sehgal's work stems in part from a perspective of sustainable development, which translates to a desire to avoid the production of commodities, to resist the excessive proliferation of goods in the world, and to reduce the ecological footprint of the art world as much as possible.
Quotes
"The MAC is very pleased to collaborate with Galerie de l'UQAM for this unique exhibition. Focused on young people, our museum offers artists privileged contact with them. I am therefore delighted that we can offer new generations of contemporary art lovers a unique opportunity to discover and experience a work by Tino Sehgal here in Montreal." − Stéphan La Roche, Director of the MAC
"The university gallery is a space that is conducive to the transmission and acquisition of knowledge in art and the exciting exercise of thought in action. By entrusting us with the work This situation, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal is providing our audiences, particularly students of visual and media arts, art history, and museology, with a unique experience. I am particularly motivated by the idea that this work by Tino Sehgal raises—in a gesture of sharing between the Museum and the Gallery which I applaud—very current concerns that cannot fail to mark the imagination of those who are concerned about the future of humanity, the role of the artist, and the state of the world today." - Louise Déry, Director of the Galerie de l'UQAM
"A major work in the MAC's collection, This situation needs, given its fundamentally immaterial nature, to be presented regularly in order to ensure its preservation. Moreover, in the current context in which discourse has become set and a feeling of helplessness seems to have taken root, offering the public the opportunity to enter into a one-on-one relationship with a work through conversation becomes particularly relevant. In this way, the MAC continues to play its role as an institution engaged in the most innovative and stimulating practices in the field of contemporary art." - Mark Lanctôt, exhibition curator
About Tino Sehgal
Living and working in Berlin, Tino Sehgal has been presenting works he calls "constructed situations" for more than 20 years in various exhibition venues around the world, including the Tate Modern in London, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Tai Kwun Contemporary in Hong Kong, the KYOCERA Art Museum in Kyoto, the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, and the Fondation Beyeler in Basel. The conceptual character of Sehgal's practice stems from a reflection on what constitutes a work of art and a crystallization of the experience of art that, for the artist, results in a direct interaction between the audience and the performers in carefully choreographed situations.
ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE EXHIBITION
In Conversation – Tuesday, February 25, at 7 p.m. at Galerie de l'UQAM
Louise Hojer, producer of the exhibition and a close collaborator of the artist, will speak with two of the players of This situation. This talk which will be given in French, will focus on Tino Sehgal's unique process and the experience of contributing to its realization. Free; reservations required.
Max and Iris Stern International Symposium – Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA).
Tino Sehgal will be in conversation (remotely) with Pip Laurenson, a researcher and professor in contemporary art conservation, at the next Max and Iris Stern International Symposium. This year, the Max and Iris Stern International Symposium will be organized in collaboration with the CIÉCO Research and Reflection Group, as part of the activities of the partnership Des nouveaux usages des collections dans les musées d'art ("New Uses of the Collections in Art Museums"), the UQAM Research Chair in Curatorial Studies and Practices, and the UQO Art and Museum team. In English, with simultaneous translation into French. More details to come here.
Acknowledgements
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) wishes to thank the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec for the grant it received to organize this exhibition.
Galerie de l'UQAM is a university gallery funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Practical information
The exhibition This situation by Tino Sehgal is presented at Galerie de l'UQAM, located at 1400 Berri Street, Judith-Jasmin Pavilion, room J-R120. Free admission.
Schedule
Sunday and Monday: closed
Tuesday to Saturday: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Accessibility at Galerie de l'UQAM
The Gallery complies with the requirements of the Quebec organization Kéroul, which informs and represents people with restricted physical abilities. The building is accessible and adapted to the needs of people in wheelchairs (exhibition rooms, elevators, toilets).
Group visits
Groups of college and university students, or any other group of adults, can experience this immaterial work together. To make a reservation: [email protected].
About the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC)
For 60 years, the MAC has brought together Quebec and international artists, their works, and varied audiences, celebrating art as an essential component of life in Montreal and Quebec. With the Museum's head office in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles undergoing a major architectural transformation, the MAC has temporarily relocated its activities to Place Ville Marie, another emblematic site in the city. Throughout the duration of the work, the Museum has been reaching the public through temporary exhibitions highlighting exceptional artists and presenting a variety of practices. The MAC at Place Ville Marie also offers a wide range of educational services, creative workshops, and community awareness activities. www.macm.org/en
About Galerie de l'UQAM
Galerie de l'UQAM is a university gallery dedicated to contemporary art. Committed to research, the institution disseminates the knowledge it generates through exhibitions, public activities, and diverse publications. It produces and presents exhibitions of contemporary Quebec, Canadian, and international art, most of which are produced by recognized curators. It explores various concerns related to the work of professional artists, while opening up to emerging trends and the work of students in visual and media arts, art history, and museology. The Gallery is also mandated to conserve, manage, and disseminate the UQAM Art Collection. www.galerie.uqam.ca
SOURCE Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
Media relations: To schedule an interview or for questions on the exhibition or the MAC, please contact: Livia Belcea, public relations officer, MAC | 514 847-6210, [email protected]; For all questions related to Galerie de l'UQAM: Julie Meunier, Press Relations Officer, [email protected] | 514 987-3000 ext. 1707
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