PASSAGES INSOLITES 2022

EXMURO arts publics and the Ville de Québec are pleased to invite residents and visitors to enjoy this year’s PASSAGES INSOLITES public art circuit and events. From June 25 to October 10, 2022, 17 works by 18 local, Canadian, and international artists will be placed along a 2.5 km circuit in the historic sectors of Place Royale, Petit Champlain, and the Old Port.

In its nine years of existence, PASSAGES INSOLITES has carved out a unique niche in the urban landscape and the hearts of Quebec City residents. This year’s edition creates spaces for artistic encounters and reflection on the environment, decolonialization, and geopolitics. In the words of Vincent Roy, EXMURO’s executive and artistic director, this year’s spectacular, provocative programming will “help put Quebec City on the global art map as a venue for exhibiting art and promoting artists, both locally and internationally.”

The event’s mission is represented by the 2022 headliner Ai Weiwei and the first-ever PASSAGES INSOLITES ambassador, the artist known as PONY.

World-class programming
PASSAGES INSOLITES is thrilled to present the North American premiere of a major new work by renowned artist Ai Weiwei. Don’t miss this rare opportunity for an intimate encounter with one of the world’s most influential living contemporary artists. An iconic cultural figure and committed humanitarian activist, Ai Weiwei is celebrated for his politically engaged, subversive practice that challenges orthodoxies and critiques economic, political, and social power imbalances.

PONY: PASSAGES INSOLITES’ first ambassador
Long-time PASSAGES INSOLITES favourite Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, known as PONY (Poor One Newly Young), is a multidisciplinary artist with a trademark playful sensibility. The secret to her success? Inclusive, accessible art that brings people together, pushes for positive change, and promotes mental health. For Tittley, who comes from a humble background, accessible art projects like PASSAGES INSOLITES are crucial, especially when they “give space to diverse voices outside the dominant discourses that have monopolized the conversation for too long.”

Complete program of artists: Nicole Banowetz, An Adaptive Moment (2021 and 2022); Collectif Bélanger-Sacy, An Uprising of Sorts (2022); Tracey-Mae Chambers, Hope and Healing Canada (2022); Eva Clouard, Forbidden Games (2022); Gaspard Combes, Namas Pamus (2022); Julia Duranleau and Marie-Pier Lachance, Our Reality, Augmented! (2022); Mia Feuer, Meditations on Earthly Materials and Temperatures (2022); Sébastien Giguère, Hope 2.0 (2022); Susanna Hesselberg, When my father died it was like a whole library had burned down II (2015, 2021, and 2022); Benoît Maubrey, ARENA II (2017, 2021 and 2022); The Museum of Bad Art, The Museum of Bad Art: The Best of the Worst, new collection (2022); Vincent Olinet, Still Not My Story (2022); Olivier Roberge, Territories 2.0 (2021); Sarah Thibault and the students of École Secondaire Vanier, Traces of our Spaces (2022); Mathieu Valade, Myth and Evidence (2017); Ai Weiwei, Life Jackets (2022).

The Museum of Bad Art: Boston’s offbeat Museum of Bad Art is back for 2022 with an even weirder collection of delightfully dubious works. Visit the Maison Hazeur in Place Royale, 27 Rue Notre Dame, from June 25 to October 10, 2022. It’s free!

Guided tours: Enjoy full or partial tours of the circuit with a professional guide (15 USD or 10 USD per person), from early July to late August.

Hungry for more? PONY takes the mic for our first-ever podcast, “Soif d’insolites” (available on Spotify). In a series of short vignettes, Gabrielle Laïla Tittley delves into the stories of the artworks and artists who made them. She’ll also immortalize the 9th annual PASSAGES INSOLITES with an original illustration created for the official event T-shirt, on sale at the Information Centre at 27 Rue Notre Dame starting June 25, 2022.