Beyond the Looking Glass – Centre national d’exposition
Exhibiting in a time of pandemic
15 October 2020 – 28 March 2021
Solo exhibition
Official event page
When the second wave of COVID hit the Saguenay region hard, the Centre national d'exposition (CNE) in Jonquière was forced to close its doors just two weeks after the opening of my exhibition Beyond the Looking Glass. The event was extended until the end of March once the ban on access to cultural venues was lifted.
This is the twelfth exhibition of the series since 2012. With a few new twists this time around. Indeed, the sheer vastness of the available space led me to not only make never-before-seen prints, but also to conceive, in collaboration with the CNE Director Ms. Guérin, a few complementary items which will serve in cultural mediation activities for school groups.
A video by way of attendance at the opening
Before the closing of the CNE, since circumstances did not allow me to stay in Jonquière to attend the official opening of the exhibition, I made a video by way of an introduction to the show. In it, I discuss the functions played by the imagination in the psychic development of children and I give some keys to understand the works in my series Beyond the Looking Glass.
Inventiveness as a remedy in the kingdom of Saguenay
During the shutdown period, far from giving up, the CNE's dynamic team doubled its efforts to find new ways to showcase its exhibitions. First of all, a 360º virtual tour was offered online.
The CNE Trios to go
For the young public, as a complement to the virtual visit, the CNE offered a kit that included a virtual reality headset for cell phones + a creative workshop in plastic arts + a snack. Hats off to the CNE for its efforts in developing innovative digital content proposals as an alternative to exhibition visits.