Intimacy in Public Space » electric carnaval électrique

electric carnaval électrique

Taking a new media twist on the traditions of 19th-century traveling carnivals,
electric carnaval électrique showcases Montreal student artists working in the domain of video, electronic and interactive art installations, as well as Internet, photography and sound-based art.

Curated by Shereen Soliman

Montreal, February 19th, 2008 – Art Matters, Canada’s largest student-run art festival, in association with Concordia U’s Intermedia/Cyberarts Student Collective proudly presents electric carnaval électrique, organized by first-time curator Shereen Soliman.

Electric carnaval électrique invites the public to peek inside the “circus big top” to reveal a peculiar world of carnivalesque, new media art installations from March 11th to March 15th, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Eastern Bloc gallery, 7240 rue Clark. The artists will be present on the public vernissage Saturday March 15th, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Be wary of what might sneak up on you, as Beatriz Herrera’s giant, robotic matryoshka dolls “wake up” in your presence, tracking you through the gallery. Lysanne Picard guides you through her “Frankenstein”, cyberart creations, composed of collaged characters borrowed from social networking website photos. Then, interact with sensor-driven video installations presented by Christopher Bass, Julien Ceccaldi and Kit Malo.

Marvel at the freedom of movement of two dancers utilizing contemporary circus-dance choreography in Chrysalis, an exquisite video creation by Ivan Rubio. Revel in the beauty of rhythmically folding paper with Robbie Murphy’s Accordion Screen.

Let your senses guide you as you negotiate the sights, sounds and aromas of an installation with talking onions by Claudia Burneo. Barbara Zemelka asks you to solve a puzzle as you manipulate her gorgeously lit, interactive light box installations. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, witness conceptual toilet excretions produced by Kamila Grygorczyk’s Art Laxative.

“It’s exciting to finally have an art show in Montreal that not only consists entirely of digital art, but solely features student artists at the forefront of the cyberarts field. We’re sure to be in for a surprise!”
– Les Fleurs du Mal magazine.