Picnic eclectik
Ali Rahman
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Montreal choreographer Alexandra "Spicey" Landé busts a move with the MAI
photo: Bo Huang
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The MAI celebrates 10 years of intercultural and multidisciplinary art with collaborative two-day event, Eclectik
"Because MAI has always focused on multidisciplinary arts," says performing arts curator Guilaine Royer, "it was important for us to focus on a collaborative event for our 10-year anniversary." Indeed, Montréal Arts Interculturels (MAI) has spent the last decade or so promoting "lesser known, emerging artists" from varied cultural backgrounds and artistic domains, helping these artists via residencies, financial support, technical help, artistic mentoring and hosting their works.The thinking behind this year's Eclectik festival is to capture the spirit of diversity and experimentation that has propelled the MAI since its inception, and to condense it into a weekend-long event. "This year, we commissioned brand new works by 10 artists for our 10-year anniversary," says visual arts curator Zoë Chan.
"The idea is to foster rencontres artistiques," adds Royer, speaking virtually in tandem with her co-curator. "We've grouped artists from different milieus together to engage in the kind of open artistic creation the MAI has been promoting since its beginning."
"All within the theme of Folies," finishes Chan. Eclectik artists, from Komodo to Meena Murugesan to Alexandra 'Spicey' Landé, will address issues of everyday madness and global chaos, resulting in a space virtually saturated with works in process, arts in motion. More event than exhibition, expect a vivid collage of dance, music, poetry, video and visual arts to collide, all under the design of artist Maya Kuroki.
While there has clearly
been immense planning behind the weekend, the event is decidedly live: "It's been interesting to receive silent films in the mail knowing that we get to see them scored live at the event," says Chan.In addition to the evening festivities, Eclectik will host two workshops on Saturday, May 30: Puppeteer Clea Minaker will offer a workshop on shadow puppetry entitled The Folly of Shadow (11 a.m.), and choreographer Sarah Febbraro will discuss her collaborative-dance YouTube phenomenon Global Dancing at 2 p.m.
Eclectik
May 29-30, 9 p.m.
At the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance)
