Quebec City, October 25, 2016—The program of Manif d’art 8 – Quebec City Biennial, created in collaboration with the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ), was announced today in a press conference by international curator Alexia Fabre. From February 17 to May 14, 2017, the public will be able to discover the exhibitions and take part in numerous activities based on the theme of The Art of Joy. With the accent on newness, the Quebec City Biennial will bring together over 100 artists at several focal points and hot spots throughout the city.

To ensure that nothing is missed, five walking itineraries will be mapped out. A wide range of activities will also be offered: special events, workshops, meetings and guided tours. And children won’t be left out either, thanks to a program called La P’tite Manif, featuring activities and exhibitions designed for children and young families.


Joy at the heart of the Biennial
“Today more than ever, joy is a battle, a shield to protect ourselves from overwhelming events,” explains Alexia Fabre. “Here in Quebec City, for three months, the works will affirm this notion of joy. Jubilant, troubling, radiant, amusing, caustic and poetic—all will embody this force, since the essence of art is joy.”

The curator of this 8th edition has brought together artists from Quebec, Canada and abroad who will reflect upon the meaning of this theme, The Art of Joy. A vast circuit of interrelated exhibitions will take place throughout the city. Altogether, 42 artists from 7 countries will be exhibiting their works at 29 sites, each artist selected by the curator in collaboration with the artistic committee composed of Claude Bélanger, Executive and Artistic Director of Manif d’art, Bernard Lamarche, Curator of Contemporary Art at MNBAQ, and Assistant Curator Anne-Sophie Blanchet.


The central exhibition inside an architectural jewel
For the first time in the history of the Biennial, the central exhibition will unfold in an institutional setting. In keeping with its innovative spirit, Manif d’art 8 will occupy the four temporary exhibition galleries of the Pavillon Pierre Lassonde of the MNBAQ, an architectural jewel of international calibre, making for a spectacular Biennial! This exhibition will feature over 15 artists, including BGL, Annette Messager, Carlos Amorales andChristian Boltanski.


Co-presenters as loyal as ever
In addition to the central exhibition at MNBAQ, 13 co-presenters will exhibit works chosen by the artistic committee: Avatar, La Bande Vidéo, La Chambre Blanche, Engramme, the Galerie des arts visuels, the Grand Théâtre de Québec, Le Lieu, Materia, Quebec city at the Maison Hamel-Bruneau, L’Œil de Poisson, Théâtre Périscope, Regart and VU. The public will thus be able to discover the work of such artists as Dan Brault, Parastou Forouhar and Sarah Anne Johnson.


An expanded public art program
The only winter biennial in North America, Manif d’art 8 is proud to present more than 10 works of public art—double the number of the previous edition. These projects will be undertaken by artists who are familiar with Quebec winters, as well as those experiencing it for the first time. Jocelyn Robert, Jean-Charles Massera, Elodie Pong, Yeondoo Jung, among many others, will be storming the streets of Quebec City! The majority of these works will be created specially for the occasion.


A vast program involving special collaborators and satellite organizations
Once again, Manif d’art has been able to count on the special collaboration of Quebec cultural organizations, as well as three non-profit business and economic development organizations from Quebec City, in organizing these exhibitions and activities based on the theme of joy.

Although many announcements were made in this press conference, not everything was revealed. Keep an eye on our press releases and sign up for our newsletter for all the news as it happens—and to discover the Manif d’art 8 website. The detailed program of the event will be released in December.

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