Week 16: December 2nd
The fourth edition of Nouveau Poem, an exhibition based on an unwanted photograph, various winter markets, and more.
Welcome to Community Service, a biweekly newsletter featuring a curated selection of art and design events in Montreal. This is it! The last newsletter of 2024. It’s filled with Montreal happenings and winter markets and no mention of Art Basel Miami (besides this). It covers Montreal events during the first two weeks of December.
Vernissage: Our A(r)mour by Isabel Yong
December 5th (6-9pm) - Vav Gallery
Isabel Yong’s oil paintings delve deeply into the complexities of emotional openness, reflecting the struggle to embrace vulnerability within oneself and with others. Yong’s work skillfully captures the tension between guarded dissociation and the transformative power of self-compassion and love. Our A(r)mour centres on two key ideas; that one can only meet another as much as they meet themselves, and that integrating the shadow self is a painful yet essential individual journey, made meaningful through shared vulnerability.
This exhibition invites viewers to confront the courage it takes to love fully—ourselves and others—and the freedom and belonging that can be found in that journey.
Reading: Nouveau Poem 4
December 5th (9pm) - Nouveau Palais
Nouveau Poem is back at Nouveau Palais for its fourth edition of the ultra fun reading series. As always, their line up features a stellar mashup of writers, and I promise I’m not just saying that because I’m one of them. Come by for readings by Joshua Chris Bouchard, Alana Dunlop, Jean-Guy Forget, Nuria Isabel, Hannah Karpinski, and Chloe Latour.
Vernissage: Contigo Todo Es Perfecto
December 6th (5-8pm) - Centre du Rat
Contigo Todo Es Perfecto is built around a photo taken of the artists, Isabelle Mae-Yen Bredt and Emiliano Moreno, in Mexico City. The photographer, a stranger who has insisted on photographing them, placed the photo into a heart shaped frame inscribed; “Contigo Todo Es Perfecto”. At first an unwanted gift, the photo of the couple developed a new quality as it hung on their fridge over the years. Seemingly by itself, it transformed from something silly to nostalgic and romantic. Somehow, it had become perfect.
The show questions how Art has influenced the aesthetics of love and romance. Particularly, playing with the performative nature of couple photography and how it may echo classical, even moralistic gestures of love. The artists use their relationship as a medium to examine love as something both deeply felt and culturally constructed, for a cute little art show at Centre du Rat.
Vernissage: for the love of the game by Céline Bureau
December 6th (6-9pm) - Espace Loulou
For their second annual members’ exhibition, Céline Bureau is thrilled to announce for the love of the game, happening December 6th to 9th at Espace Loulou. The event is a celebration of their incredible community, featuring works by over 30 of Céline Bureau’s members, which you can see here. The vernissage also marks the launch of issue 2 of Méthodes: Manifest(er) — a collection of writings from the 2024 Cigale x Céline Bureau writing residency.
Market: Wee Market
December 7th-8th (11am-7pm) - 10 Villeneuve East
Studio 10 Villeneuve East is happy to present Wee Market: a ceramic-based art market featuring the works of Kelly Davis, Ksenia Kil, artist duo Léa & Nicolas, Remi Cristian, and Vanessa Maya Gutter. The market will be held on December 7th and 8th between 11am and 7pm at 10 Villeneuve East, studio 3.
Event: Scent Club by Chimie
December 8th (10am-12pm) - Espace GU
Scent club is a monthly facilitated gathering where the scent curious come together to explore, share, and learn about the world of scent. The new season is underway, so join as the group explores ingredients, notes, and perfumes in Chimie’s ever-growing olfactory library. You can register for the event here.
Vernissage: Groundwork: To Build Law
December 10th (5-9pm) - CCA
The CCA’s exhibition To Build Law is the second chapter in their Groundwork documentary series, which explores how architects engage with project sites in response to ecological crisis The event will begin with a talk by Olaf Grawert and Alina Kolar from b+, the Berlin architecture agency showcased in To Build Law. Grawert and Kolar will present the HouseEurope! campaign, as well as their architecture projects and visions for the architect’s present role.
Market: Holiday Market
December 10th-16th - Fondation PHI
The PHI Foundation holiday market showcases the artistic talents of the employees of the PHI Foundation, as well as special guest artists. At this market, you'll discover varied local creations, from posters, jewelry, photography, ceramics, prints, sculptures, publications, paintings. The market will run from December 10th to 16th, operating from 11am to 6pm on Saturday to Tuesday and from 12pm to 7pm on Wednesday to Friday.
Vernissage: Everything from Shells by Isabelle Mae-Yen Bredt
December 12th (5-9pm) - Espace Loulou
This exhibition presents a work-in-progress project by Isabelle Mae-Yen Bredt, bringing together her latest photographic and sculptural explorations. Pulling from her ongoing investigation of the fraught relationship images foster with the material world, the show explores the ways photography mediates both commercial and personal activity. Inspired by sunsets, e-commerce, and pets, Everything From Shells is a search for the essential in an environment where authenticity feels increasingly elusive.
Market: This is not a Market
December 12th-15th - Alkadémie
Led by internationally recognized artist Delphine Huguet and exhibition curator and founder of the Post-Invisible Biennale, Mylène Lachance-Paquin, This is not a Market aims to create a sales network for original works by mid-career and emerging women artists. The aim is to help women artists in Quebec make themselves known and to democratize access to art for the general public by offering a series of quality works at affordable prices. In a similar spirit, the event is held in an accessible location for people who do not frequent artist centers. The market will be held Thursday, December 12th and Friday, December 13th from 5 to 9pm, Saturday, December 14th from 12 to 9pm, and Sunday December 15th from 12 to 5pm.
Market: Winter Market
December 14th-15th - Studio Kiff
Studio Kiff presents their Winter Market featuring a curated list of Montreal makers. Stop by their studio on Saturday, December 14th from 10am to 7pm or Sunday December 15th from 10am to 5pm to check out objects made by: Andy’s Outdoors, Clara Jorisch, Cléo Sjolander, Darcy Roop, Maxime Goldstyn, Nickname Jewerly, Ouré Knitwear, Par Lolo, Studio Kiff, Très-Precieux-Sang, Verre d’Onge, and Wax Maya.
Community Service will be taking a brief hiatus until January. In the meantime, if you have an art or design-related event you would like to include in future editions of the newsletter, you can send us a DM or email communityservmag@gmail.com
I love you all, see you next year.