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Now more than ever, Art Matters 

By Russ Cooper

It’s been nine years since the first edition of Art Matters, no version the same as the previous. Regardless of what shape it takes, what was set into motion to help emerging artists display their work has now grown into the biggest student-run art show in Canada.

This year, more than 150 Concordia artists will display their work in over 25 exhibitions throughout the university and Montreal.

So, what’s different this year? For one, organizers have steered away from holding exhibitions in smaller venues sprinkled around the city. Instead, they’ve clustered events closer together, often having multiple shows on the same block or even in the same building during the same time period.

“This way, audiences can experience a number of different shows without having to travel across the city,” says Art Matters co-producer Matt Goerzen. “We really wanted the festival to be as digestible and accessible as possible.”

And while an emptied city pool-turned arts venue way out on East-end Ontario St. may not be the epitome of accessibility, there’s no doubt the opening party at the historic Bain Mathieu on Feb. 26 was digestible… tasty, even.

Roughly 600 fine arts students, artists and scruffy riff-raff alike made the easterly trip to revel in thunderous music, amazing live visuals and an art exhibition co-curated by Art Matters and the Pop Montreal branch, Art Pop.

The following evening, organizers centralized the vernissages for three exhibitions (Zoe Sharpe and Paige Mclachlan’s Poetics, Sean Yendrys’ Narratives [see story] and Victoria Carrasco’s Environnant, adj.=) at Art Mûr. Keeping the art party going, Montreal’s Nuit Blanche saw hundreds of night dwellers set their reddened eyes on another three shows (The Future/The End, Factory Project and Rosie Prata’s Make Yourself At Home) at the downtown Belgo Building.

As well, organizers have made an attempt to stretch out beyond the allotted three-week period. This past fall, Art Matters held a handful of events based on spontaneous creation. In November, the Art Book Creation Party invited artists to get together to draw and paint a co-operative book of art to raise funds for this winter’s festival. During the Pop Montreal festival in October, organizers from both paired up musicians and artists to alter their own work to create an all-new collaborative performance.

The Saskatoon-native and FA student Goerzen says Art Matters is facing a bit of a conundrum with its well-earned attention to the festival. This year’s remarkable art and its collaborations with the now-internationally recognized Pop Montreal has brought more awareness to the festival, garnering a front-page story in the Montreal Mirror and a feature in the Arts & Life section of The Gazette. But the attention has the potential to sway it away from its traditional role as an event on the fringe into a popular, sponsored exhibition. Goerzen recognizes each has its advantages and its inherent disadvantages.

“Working with Pop Montreal has been great for Art Matters, it’s really brought a new dimension. There’s a new team of organizers every year, so there’s always possibility to take it in new directions. To an extent, it’s like reinventing the wheel each year,” he says. “As for where it will go and how it will progress, that’s pretty much up to next year’s team.”

Art Matters continues until March 14 with events nearly every day. Visit artmatters.concordia.ca for a full schedule.