ÉducExpos at the MMFA: Free Educational Exhibitions to Celebrate Diversity and Living Together
The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is unveiling its ÉducExpos program, which features free educational exhibitions arising from projects designed by the Museum and its valued social and community partners and those in the education, health and art therapy sectors and in which hundreds of children, teenagers, adults and people with special needs take part each year. Through these projects to foster accessibility, inclusion, integration, personal development and wellbeing, the MMFA seeks to spark a reflection on the transformative power of art and extend its message of peace.
Presented in the J. A. DeSève Gallery and the promenade in the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art Therapy of the Jean‐Noël Desmarais Pavilion, the ÉducExpos invite museumgoers to discover the creative works that stem from exchanges and experiences as part of the Museum’s projects—opportunities to open up to others and remove prejudices.
THE FOREST OF THE UNLOVED - Until March 26, 2017
An imaginary forest dreamed up by high school students
Location: Promenade
The Forest of the Unloved is a creative project undertaken by students as part of their French class and a cultural exploration of their school, École du Coteau in Mascouche, following a visit to the MMFA. Inspired by the works in the Museum’s collections, grade 9 students wrote a tale that delves into different narrative universes. Their grade 11 classmates took a photographic approach.
SEEDS OF HOPE - Until April 2, 2017
An art‐based approach to suicide and resiliency
Location: J. A. DeSève Gallery
Jointly spearheaded by the MMFA and the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at Concordia University and under the direction of Yehudit Silverman, Seeds of Hope aims to raise awareness of suicide and how it impacts families, friends and society by presenting masks created by individuals who have been affected by suicide.
STARTING POINT - April 3 to May 14, 2017
A rewarding intergenerational experience for young people
Location: Promenade
The MMFA welcomes the fourth edition of the Starting Point project as part of a month of art organized by the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM). Pairing students from two different grade levels on works in the Museum’s collection of Québec and Canadian art, Starting Point proposes a rediscovery of the collection through a detail from a work that makes its way from elementary to high school.
SI L’ÎLE ÉTAIT UNE ŒUVRE D’ART - April 9 to May 14, 2017
Montréal inspires young people to create
Location: J. A. DeSève Gallery
Si l’île était une œuvre d’art is a collective creative project inspired by the MMFA’s Sculpture Garden and Montréal’s public art. Carried out by art students in five high schools in the Commission scolaire Marguerite‐Bourgeoys under the direction of their teachers, the project is focused on the theme Regards sur Montréal [A window on Montréal].
Accessibility is at the core of the mission set out by the Michel de la Chenelière International Atelier for Education and Art at the MMFA. The International Atelier is also a meeting place where elementary and high school students are given the opportunity to build bridges between them. These intergenerational projects combine tours of the Museum’s collections and artistic workshops and enable the young people to assert their talent and proudly present their creations. Several of these projects were made possible thanks to Sharing the Museum. Created over 17 years ago by our teams and based on accessibility and inclusion, the program provides free cultural and educational experiences for school and community groups that otherwise would not have the opportunity to visit the Museum.
