Débraye : Voitures à controverse

Débraye : voitures à controverse is an exhibition which denounces the misdeed of the car on the natural, social and psychologic environment. The Visuals Art Center Quartier Éphémère/ Darling Foundry had invited some artists to present a polemic piece around the car and its negative impacts. This exhibition is linked to the actuality (we think about Kyoto). Pollution, durable development, aggressiveness, segregation, and overconsumption will be some subjects developed. Several artists will make a few concrete interventions outdoor, in the urbain space.

The artists:

Red, Montréal
ATSA, Montréal
Katie Bethune-Leamen, Toronto
Cooke-Sasseville, Québec
Cindy Dumais, Chicoutimi
Vincent Ganivet, France
Laurent Hamon, France
Kelly Jazvac, Toronto
Margaret Lawther, Vancouver
Philippe Meste, France
Nicolas Milhe, France
Doug Scholes et Dominique Toutant, Montréal (en collaboration avec Mark Lanctôt)
Roadsworth, Montréal

Beyond a simple exhibition, Quartier Éphémère/ Darling Foundry wants to create a field of reflexion about this proposal across the organisation of a public discussion in collaboration with some environemental groups, specialists, and sociologists.

The end of the exhibition will coincide with the event "En Ville sans ma voiture" [Downtown without my car], September 22, organised by L'Agence métropolitaine de transport.

SEPTEMBER 22nd 2005

ATSA (Quand l'Art passe à l'Action);
As a criticism of attitudes towards various forms of pollution, false parking attendants will decimate tickets to citizens causing infringement around the gallery's surrounding areas during the exhibition period. Preserved carbon will be the basis of an external work of art presented during the "Downtown, without my Car" event on September 22nd.
An action directed by the artists will bring back their activity: Carrying a political dimension, this action aims to exert civic pressure on the City of Montreal so that they commit to giving genuine tickets for various pollutant behaviors that result from automobiles (like the SUV).

Nicolas Milhe will adorn a registered car in cardboard in the aim of conferring style and design to it. This work will be parked in front of the art center. To add a touch of humour to the work, the crafty artist, plans to add a touch of aerodynamism to the car. And the whole is made to measure without being harmful to the environment.

Laurent Hamon's small mobile workshop will be parked in front of the art center, on Prince street. He has created a device that invites the public to reflect and to express themselves concretely concerning the issue of cars and their violations. The installation consists of a small workshop divided into 4 sections: (1) an area containing documents relating to the topic of automobile (library, information, armchair), (2) a space of research made up of an engineering and design department (drawing table provided with sheets, pencils, seats), (3) a production workshop (machines, bench, technician), (4) lastly, a picture moulding intended to exhibit the various proposals. The device will remain active throughout the exhibition, and the artist will be present to offer technical assistance to the participants.

Dylan Perceval-Maxwell will present his car that runs on vegetable oil. It is registered.

Despite the roads being closed to cars, the streets will be accessible to pedestrians and bicycles, who will be able to follow the work of Roadsworth. With a white line for support, the organic and figurative motifs carried out with the stencil designs will animate the monochromatic layout.

The desire to close the neighbouring streets during "Downtown Without My Car" is a means for Quartier Éphémère and the exhibiting artists to affirm their ecological standpoint to the general public. It constitutes an interactive performance. Information will be distributed in order to encourage those familiar with the district to visit the exhibition and to share their viewpoints. The public is invited to take part in the discussion forum that will take place inside the Darling Foundry galleries.