8 awesome Montreal art galleries to check out this weekend
Montreal is currently in Red Zone, Level 4–Maximum Alert — the government’s strictest tier — in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. Between 8 pm and 5 am, Quebecers must not leave their homes except in cases that justify travel. Travelling between regions is not recommended per the government, and all COVID-19 protocols (indoor mask-wearing, two-metre physical distancing, and frequent sanitization) must be followed.
Montreal is (finally) waking up from its winter slumber and we couldn’t be happier about going outside for the first time in months — so what better way to spend the weekend than checking out some local art galleries?
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Though many museums like the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the McCord Museum now require reserving a spot in advance, some of the city’s smaller galleries allow spontaneous visitors to stop by as well.
Here are some of the coolest places to go art-hopping this weekend.
Never Apart
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Definitely one of the trendier spots on this list, Never Apart celebrates the diversity of Montreal’s art scene by showcasing emerging artists from all backgrounds. Currently, they have a few exhibits spotlighting Black artists, and African and Caribbean cultural works.
La Guilde
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If you fancy checking out some Inuit and First Nations art, you have to take a trip to La Guilde. Their upcoming exhibition, Chromatik, is a fun exposition about how colours affect our emotions.
OBORO
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If you’re into music, the environment, and everything in between, you’ll love the Press Record exhibit by Christophe Migone currently being shown at OBORO. It explores the concept of vinyl through themes like record launches and plastic waste. You can reserve a time slot for free here.
The PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art
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The PHI Foundation and Centre galleries in Montreal are well-established within the city’s art scene. Right now, the PHI Foundation is presenting Korean artist Lee Bae’s UNION presents over 40 of his works, which uses the medium of charcoal to create compelling visual pieces. You can book your visit to the gallery here.
Fonderie Darling
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At Fonderie Darling, be ready to find urban and industrial visual arts with eco-conscious undertones. Right now, the gallery is showing a series of colourful cartoon-like paintings by Vincent Larouche, as well as a huge exhibition in its main hall inspired by aquatic life in the St-Lawrence river. Oh, and don’t forget to stop by the EmballeToi! eco-art project right outside the gallery, which was started in 2012 and will be presented until 3012.
Manuel Mathieu
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At Haitian visual artist Manuel Mathieu’s eponymous gallery, you’ll see abstract paintings, drawings, and ceramic sculptures from a diverse range of themes like violence and erasure.
Canadian Centre for Architecture
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Who said architecture wasn’t art? The CCA presents architecture as a thought-provoking and contemporary topic through publications, research and, of course, exhibitions. A show to check out right now is “A Section of Now: Social Norms and Rituals as Sites for Architectural Intervention,” an exhibit that dives into familial, cultural, and technological aspects of our living environments. You can book an appointment to visit the gallery here.
Art Mûr
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Another contemporary art gallery in Montreal, Art Mûr is currently showing an exhibition that looks at the human relationship with frontiers and territorial boundaries. They are also holding an impressive VR architectural project by multidisciplinary artist Samuel Arsenault-Brassard.
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