Spotlight on digital creation - The MAC is proud to partner with Printemps numérique

MONTRÉAL, le 20 mars 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) is proud to partner with the 1st edition of Printemps numérique, an initiative of the Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ) of Montréal intended to spotlight the city's digital creativity as well as the interconnections between science, industry and art. In its role as a host for this major digital event of spring 2014, the MAC will present installations, performances, a symposium and a digital Nocturne, among other activities. It will also be the home of the EM15 event.

A DIVERSE, WIDE-RANGING PROGRAM AT THE MAC

EM15
The Musée d'art contemporain is joining the celebrations for the 15th anniversary of the Elektra and MUTEK festivals. From May 24 to June 1, for the very first time, these two major events will be held simultaneously at the MAC itself. Over the years, the museum has worked with both these key players on the digital scene. For this first joint venture, it is turning into one vast platform for showcasing works and performances by leading figures on the digital scene here in Montréal, across North America and around the world.

BIAN
After presenting Carsten Nicolai's unidisplay in 2012, during the 1st edition of the International Digital Arts Biennial (BIAN), the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal is giving the digital arts and the event an even more prominent place this spring. From May 23 to June 1, the MAC will be the venue for BIAN's "installations" section and will welcome some fifteen works by Québec, Canadian and international artists, five of them from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. All these artists illustrate the growing importance of design, games, robotics, science and digital art in current culture.

MAC PROJECTIONS SERIES: C⁴i, A WORK BY RYOJI IKEDA
As part of the 2nd edition of BIAN, the Musée d'art contemporain is pleased to present C⁴i, a work by Ryoji Ikeda, one of the foremost names in minimalist electronic music. This remarkable work, being shown in its film version for the first time in Montréal, will be screened at the MAC this coming May 6 to June 15.

MAX AND IRIS STERN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 8: REMONTAGE/REMIXING/SHARING: TECHNOLOGIES, AESTHETICS, POLICIES
Organized by the MAC in connection with The Clock, this symposium will examine the practices of remontage and remixing as manifested in various fields-visual arts, film, sound art, video games-in the studio or live, in institutional settings, on the Web or in urban space, in professional circles and in amateur networks. It will also look at the expansion and gradual democratization of digital technologies (with their extraordinary capture, storage and dissemination capabilities), which have meant a blurring of boundaries between producers and consumers. The Max and Iris Stern International Symposium will be held on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5. For information or reservations, call: 514 847-6233.

PULSE ROOM (2006)
From June 18 to September 7, the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal will mark its 50th anniversary in a very special and unique way by presenting a work acquired by the museum in 2013: the interactive installation Pulse Room, 2006, by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. This spectacular piece, which was shown in 2007 at the Venice Biennale, features 300 suspended incandescent light bulbs controlled by a computer interface that detects visitors' heart rate and converts it into flashes of light.

John Zeppetelli, Director and Chief Curator of the Musée d'art contemporain, noted, in describing this spring's inaugural joint undertaking: "The MAC is honoured to play an important part in Printemps numérique, both in terms of content and through the collaborative relationships the museum has established with top-calibre cultural organizations. We salute Montréal's exceptionally vibrant digital scene and wish Printemps numérique a long and successful life."

About Printemps numérique
Printemps numérique is the product of a partnership initiated by the Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ) of Montréal with sixty or so organizations active in the creative community or involved in digital arts. The 1st edition will take place from mid-March to mid-June 2014. By connecting science, industry and art, the event will highlight the vitality and reach of digital creativity in Montréal.

Acknowledgments
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal is a provincially owned corporation funded by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec. It receives additional funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. The museum gratefully acknowledges their support and that of Collection Loto-Québec, the MAC's principal partner. The MAC also thanks its media partner, La Presse +.

SOURCE: Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal

For further information:

Wanda Palma
Head of Public Relations
514 847 6232
[e-mail]