A Vibrant Culture

Boréalie Créative d'arts et de sciences

In early April, the final performance of a collaborative project involving artist Emmanuelle Gendron and FaunENord was staged in Chibougamau. This initiative was designed to boost the region's visibility through its artists and craftspeople. On the evening of April 4, fifteen artists got together to provide revealing glimpses of Eeyou Istchee Baie-James through their art.

Paintings, fabrics, sculptures, stained glass, and music were showcased! The following day, felted mushroom workshops and tamarack decoy demonstrations were offered as participants discovered the handiwork of Marianne Dumas and Harold Bosum.

“Boréalie creative is about connecting with others. It's an adventure across Eeyou Istchee Baie-James that showcases the beautiful qualities and profound know-how of the people who call the region home. A series of interpretation and creative workshops were tailored to each setting and each participating artist and craftsperson. In all, some fifteen locations were visited, several hours were spent on the road, and the workshops drew more than 150 participants.”

- Emmanuelle Gendron

LA FOLIE FRETTE

On April 20 and 21, Théâtre des Épinettes staged La Folie Frette, directed by Colette Filion and Guy Lalancette. The town of Chibougamau is the main character in this satirical play, which comments on social polarisation. A whole host of characters are played by six actors who worked hard to transform themselves and put on an enjoyable performance.

“Ingenious stage design,” “humorous dialogue,” and “great acting” were among the enthusiastic comments shared by the audience. We look forward to this autumn's follow-up performance, which will be held on November 2 and 3!

EMPREINTE

The vernissage for the Empreinte exhibition presented by Les Arts en Nord was held on April 24 at the municipal library and featured sixteen local artists. The exhibition lasted six days, during which a magnificent showcase of sculptures, paintings, photographs, and stained-glass windows revealed the wide-ranging media that the region's many artists have been exploring.

HISTOIRES D'OPÉMISKA

From April 25 to 28, Jocelyne Grondin recounted part of the history of Chapais by showing us the richness and diversity of the town's heritage through her new collection of stained-glass windows.

The collection featured the Opemiska mine and village, the Opemiska curling club, the Opemiska club, La Chute Park, the Opemiska mountain mummy, and sunsets over the lake of the same name. Through these works, the artist immerses us in the history of the region, allowing us to experience it as a timeline from past to present.

“This is an artistic exploration of places, stories, and memories from our geographical heritage, and my source of inspiration for my stained-glass works,” said the artist.

Jocelyne also offers creative glass mosaic workshops throughout the summer - a wonderful opportunity to enjoy an artistic experience on the shores of Lake Opemiska. Ideal for those looking for an engaging activity in Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.

LA DÉBÂCLE MUSICALE

The ninth edition of La Débâcle, which is a music festival, took place in May in the midst of Chibougamau's northern spring. Local residents and interested visitors enjoyed this opportunity to wander around the town centre, which was transformed into a musical playground for the evening.

The concept is simple: three bars, three shows. In a spirit of authenticity, festival-goers swayed to the sounds of Comment debord, Monastère, and Violett Pi, set against an offbeat backdrop created by local artists. What a truly festive way for participants to discover professional, original, and emerging artists!

CE QU'IL RESTE DES FEUX

Eeyou Istchee Baie-James communities were hit hard by forest fires in the summer of 2023. An idea rose from the ashes to spawn the Ce qu'il reste des feux (“after-burn”) project by artists Stacy-Ann Olivier and Camille Lescarbeau.

“Our team, which consists of Camille Lescarbeau and myself, will be reaching out to the Jamesian community to explore its collective memory and resilience through cultural mediation activities linked to the forest fires that raged throughout our region last summer. More specifically, we will be running a series of land-art workshops. The experience that emerges from these workshops will be used to conceptualize our work at Biennale de Sculpture de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.”

- Stacy-Ann Olivier