Part 1: November 18–29, 2014
Part 2: December 9, 2014–January 10, 2015
Part 3: January 20–31, 2015
Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery
Concordia University
1400, boul. de Maisonneuve West
Montreal (Québec)
Canada H3G 1M8
Curator: Mélanie Rainville
Artists: Raymonde April, Sophie Bélair Clément, Caroline Boileau, Tim Clark, Sorel Cohen, Brendan Fernandes, Leisure Projects, Paul Litherland, Kent Monkman, Adrian Norvid, Rober Racine, Larry Rivers, Philip Surrey
The evolving exhibition Speculations. Risquer l’interprétation comprises three parts, which present various interpretations and installations of the same body of works. Created by 13 artists, these modern and contemporary works are part of the Gallery’s collection and include several recent acquisitions. A project by the invited artist, Paul Litherland, is also presented.
This methodology, which is atypical in a museum context, makes it possible to follow the exhibition creators’ interpretation of the works and the main issues involved in the process, i.e. the works’ coherence and intelligibility. The recurrent curatorial concerns it reflects are rarely addressed directly: What are the effects of interpreting a work? Is it possible to avoid instrumentalization? At what point does the interpretation become an over-interpretation or misinterpretation? This case study seeks to explore the shifting borders between the appropriate and inappropriate in order to develop a balanced discourse between the artists’ intentions and the curatorial interventions.
Speculations. Risquer l’interprétation reveals the complexity of the chosen works, the elasticity of the interpretations they are the subject of, as well as some of the consequences of assigning a set interpretation by way of the exhibition medium. The exhibition reminds us that there is no such thing as a single right interpretation of the works and that, consequently, exhibition curation is of a speculative nature.
Information and tours
Marina Polosa: T +514 848 2424 ext. 4778 / [email protected]
Free admission, wheelchair accessible