ELEKTRA BIENNIAL

  

ELEKTRA BIENNIAL F(R)ICTION: ART AND GAMES

AT ARSENAL CONTEMPORARY ART MONTRÉAL

October 15 - November 15. 2026

ELEKTRA presents the 8th edition of its International Digital Art Biennial starting Thursday, October 15, and running until Sunday, November 15, 2026, at Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal. Under the theme F(R)ICTION: Art and Games and curated by Lynn Hughes and Ida Toft, this edition brings together 35 works by international and local artists and creators, from both the fields of game design and contemporary art, including Anna Anthropy, Afrane Makof, Ayoung Kim, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Davey Wreden, Leo Castañeda, Maize Longboat, Mélanie Courtinat and Suzanne Treister. 

 

Video games are deeply embedded in popular culture and increasingly used as a form of artistic expression. This meeting point between the two worlds is at the heart of F(R)ICTION: Art and Games. The exhibition reflects the diversity of voices and perspectives that have shaped experimental game-making, bringing together creators of different generations, backgrounds, and regions of the world.

 

All photos above by Nina Gibelin Souchon.

All photos in this article courtesy of ELECTRA BIENNIAL.

 ACTIVITIES

 

 Meeting with the Artists: Talk and Live Playthroughs

Saturday, October 17, from 3 to 7 p.m. - Arsenal Contemporary Art - Free entry, no reservations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting with the Artists: Talk and Live Playthroughs

Saturday, October 17, from 3 to 7 p.m. - Arsenal Contemporary Art - Free entry, no reservations

 

 

Talk : CTRL + AI: Creative Agency at Play When AI agents can create, test, and revise, where does human agency reside?

Monday, October 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. — 4th Space, Concordia University (1400 Maisonneuve Blvd Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8) - Free admission

Solar Power and Games with Lee Wilkins — Handcraft Workshop

Saturday, November 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. - Arsenal Contemporary Art - From $18, limited to 10 people.

For More information visit the ARSENAL'S website.

  

Conseil des arts de Montréal 2026: Promis

PROMIS

Skawennati’s public art installation transforms the façade of the Conseil des arts de Montréal building all summer long

June 17, 2026 - End of September 2026

The Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) invites Montrealers to discover and experience Promise, a temporary public art installation by world-renowned Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist Skawennati, which, for the very first time, will transform the façade of the CAM building (located at 1210 Sherbrooke Street East, across from La Fontaine Park).

Vibrantly colourful, this playful, bold and symbolic work is accessible for free all summer long, day and night. All it takes is a smartphone to scan a QR code for an immersive augmented-reality experience of the Three Sisters.

An Art Installation Rooted in Indigenous Heritage

Commissioned by the CAM to celebrate its 70th anniversary, this powerful artistic gesture has been unveiled just days before National Indigenous Peoples Day, celebrated on Sunday, June 21. It also acknowledges the 325th anniversary of the Great Peace Treaty of Montreal, signed on August 4, 1701.

 Nathalie Maillé, directrice générale du CAM, stated: 

“In Montreal, the presence of art is an unbeatable force, deeply embedded in its DNA. For 70 years, it has been at the heart of the CAM’s work. Chosen from our very first competition for a temporary public artwork, the visionary artist Skawennati brilliantly transforms an iconic building in Montreal. We are thus reaffirming what sets our city apart: artistic vitality is expressed all around us, and right here at the Gaston-Miron building, it comes to life every day through the CAM’s initiatives.”

Skawennati, the artist, elaborated:

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to create a public work for an institution as innovative as the CAM, at this grand scale, in this location, the traditional territory of my ancestors. What is truly transformative is to live with Indigenous signage and symbols in the cityscape where they promote the values inherent in them.”  

A work rooted in tradition and growing toward the future

Drawing on Hotinonshón:ni (Iroquois) knowledge, Promise re-imagines the Three Sisters—beloved personifications of corn, beans, and squash—as contemporary superheroes whose mission is to re-instill into the values of sustainability, interdependence, and gratitude throughout the city and the world.

The vivid patterns wrapped around the building’s columns are inspired by the Three Ssiter's seeds, while an augmented-reality experience, accessible via a QR code, brings the heroines to life through 3D animation, accompanied by an original song blending Kanien’kéha, French, and English.

Sponsored by daphne, a non-profit Indigenous artist-run centre (Centre d'art daphne), this playful installation invites all citizens to contemplate and remember the roots of the city and to envision a shared future grounded in Indigenous values.

Artist Skawennati

Skawennati, a trailblazer in Indigenous digital art

A Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) artist based in Montreal, Skawennati has been developing a practice at the intersection of visual and digital arts for over two decades, blending installations, technologies, sculptures, textiles, and interactive environments to explore memory, identity, and the future.

Centered around the universe of the Three Sisters, the artist is developing a multilayered narrative. She first introduced them as superheroes in Words Before All Else, in 2022, followed by Welcome to the Garden, presented in 2024 at Gray Area in San Francisco. In 2025, the trio visited New York as part of ENCODED: Change the Story, Change the Future at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Skawennati’s augmented reality work is surreptitiously superimposed onto the museum’s facade. There, she offers a critical reinterpretation of dominant narratives, which is emblematic of her approach.

With Promise, the artist adds a new chapter, affirming a strong connection to the territory; the accompanying song is punctuated with references to the Maison du CAM, the City of Montreal/Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang, and nearby Atateken Street.

Rooted in Indigenous knowledge yet future-oriented, her work has been presented on the local and international scene, notably at the MAC, the Smithsonian, the Venice Biennale, and the Seoul Art & Tech Festival. In May 2025, the National Gallery of Canada presented Welcome to Dreamhouse, major solo exhibition of her work, tracing 25 years of artistic practice.

Skawennati is co-founder and co-director of AbTeC at Concordia University, a research-creation studio that co-produces digital art projects.

About the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Founded in 1956, the Conseil des arts de Montréal supports artistic innovation and creative expression in all their diversity by offering various forms of support to promote Montreal-based artists and organizations involved in creation, production, and presentation. For 70 years, it has played a unique role as a catalyst and has helped make Montreal a vibrant cultural metropolis, recognized here and abroad for its artistic vitality.

About the Gaston-Miron Building

The Gaston-Miron Building, located at 1210 Sherbrooke Street East across from La Fontaine Park, has been home to the Conseil des arts de Montréal since 2009. Formerly the Montreal Central Library, built between 1914 and 1917 by architect Eugène Payette, this iconic building stands as a testament to the city’s rich cultural and architectural heritage. Completely renovated while preserving its original features—including its spectacular atrium topped by a glass ceiling—the building is now a vibrant space dedicated to the creation, support, and promotion of the arts, providing the artistic community with rehearsal and exhibition spaces. At its entrance stands Yannick Pouliot’s work Dialogue (2017), an aluminum sculpture composed of fragments inspired by the building’s architecture.  

 

This article's dedicated internet address.

All images in this article courtesy of the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Artwork credits

Commissioned by the Conseil des arts de Montréal    

Sponsored by daphne

Co-produced by AbTeC

Concept and design: Skawennati

Production manager: Nancy Townsend

Production supervisor: Jason Edward Lewis

Graphic design: Tarcisio Cataldi et Julia Fortin 

Lighting design: cr34te

Printing: Turgeon

Augmented reality specialist: Meg Summers

3D modelling and animation: Maxime Perreault

3D Texturing: Jiangai Gao

Lyrics: Skawennati

Recording and Sound Design: Shawn Mullen

Performers: Skanaie:’a Deer as Osahè:ta’, Kanikatsistha Hill as Ó:nenhste, and Ieronhienhawi Mccomber as Onon’ónsera

Recording Studio: Milieux Institute for Arts, Culture and Technology 

McCord Museum 2026: Céline in Dior

Céline in Dior: A Dazzling Moment 

 May 15 - September 7, 2026 

The McCord Steward Museum of Montreal presents the North American premiere of the very unique and exquisite Dior gown worn by Céline Dion during her stunning performance from the Eiffel Tower at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. 

 

  

Created specifically for Céline Dion by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s Artistic Director from 2016 to 2025, this gown showcases outstanding craftsmanship that required more than 1,000 hours of work. Previously shown in Paris and Seoul, this haute couture piece is the focal point of an artistically designed experience. The dress is presented to the Museum's audience in an unusual and quit a dramatic way. Designed by Pierre-Étienne Locas as a form of audio-visual installation, the dress being its focal point, it is an up-close encounter at the heart of large-scale projections that draw visitors back into the magnificent performance of Édith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” by the Quebec's stellar singer. 

 

 

Céline in Dior: A Dazzling Moment pays tribute to an iconic performer, and to the moment that captured hearts. That moment is equally embodied in a dress she wore that memorable evening and that the public can presently admire at the McCord Steward Museum. 

 

Although this dress was created expressly for Céline Dion, for her Paris Olympic game's opening ceremony performance, she does not own it. It belongs to the Dior's collection. 

  

All photos in this article @ Nadia Slejskova

For more information about this exhibition and the special events associated with it, as well as all the other Museum's current exhibitions, visit the McCord Stewart Museum website.

 

Also note that this exhibition was conceived in tandem with the Museums' present major commemorative exhibition devoted to the 50th anniversary of the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympic Games. You can read about it on the Museum's website and also here.

 

 

 

artch festival 2025

The artch Festival kicked off today!

Workshops, meetings, and performances
focused on artistic collaboration

October 15 – 19, 2025
12 p.m to 7 p.m.

Lobby, 1 PVM
1, Place Ville Marie, Montréal, QC

The artch festival kicks off today in the lobby of 1 PVM at Place Ville Marie, inviting the public to discover its 8th edition, centered on cooperation and creating together. Until October 19, from 12 PM to 7 PM, visitors can explore 150 works by 18 emerging artists, take part in workshops and critical discussions, and engage in creative activities focused on new forms of artistic collaboration.

artch stands out for its emphasis on artistic collaboration and collective innovation, questioning the ways in which artists organize themselves and interact with other stakeholders beyond the traditional art circle. In a context where the sustainability of artistic practices is more important than ever, this festival offers a fresh perspective on the role of artists in society.

Sarah Kitzy Gineau-Delyon, Executive and Artistic Director of artch stated:

"This program particularly reflects our mission: to support emerging artists in their professional development while creating spaces for dialogue and collective reflection. Each workshop and each meeting has been designed to offer concrete tools to artists, but also to question our ways of working and collaborating."

 Highlights of the week

• October 15–19 → Continuous performances by Madison Strizic

• October 15, 4 PM → Workshop Organizing an Artist Collective: Building, Structuring, and Funding Your Project

• October 16, 1:30–4:30 PM → Performance by Amara Barner

• October 17, 4:30 PM → Bilingual Panel Archiving Self-Managed Art Centers: Remembering Centers Across Canada

• October 18 → Creative workshops focused on recycling and material reuse

• October 19, 1 PM → Participatory Workshop Tie Alteration with Fannie 

Additional opportunities for discovery

True to its mission of democratizing contemporary art, artch maintains free access to its entire program. As places are limited for workshops, registration is required.

Since 2018, artch has supported more than 167 artists in their artistic careers, who now enjoy regional, national, and international recognition.

Check out the complete program here.

PAC 2025: ALLEY-OOP

ALLEY-OOP: AN INTERACTIVE ADVENTURE EXHIBITION

Pointe-à-Callière presents a playful and immersive experience on Montréal’s alleyways.

June 20, 2025 - January 11, 2026

Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal’s Archaeology and History Complex, unveiled a new exhibition: Alley-oop - An Interactive Adventure. Designed for young and also for people of all ages, it’s an invitation to explore the history and cultural richness of Montréal’s alleyways through an interactive experience in which visitor’s movements trigger various games. This exhibition that gets one moving, takes the participants on a journey back in time.

Watch a YouTube video of the exhibition.

Anne Élisabeth Thibault, Executive Director, Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex stated:

“Discreet witnesses to the city’s evolution, Montréal’s alleys have stood the test of time. From simple service lanes in the 19th century, they have been transformed over time into real living spaces where people meet, garden, have fun, and where they create and build neighbourhood bonds. It is this history and this vitality that we have sought to bring to life in this new exhibition which invites visitors to explore, to play, and to remember. In combining technology and the museum experience, we are aiming to offer our visitors a lively, fun, and multigenerational journey.”

 

Let’s play!

Used for decades for children as playgrounds par excellence, Montréal’s alleyways come to life in this exhibition. Using innovative technology that combines visual projections and motion detection, the exhibition space becomes a true playing field! Visitors can interact with the environment to play, test their speed and agility, and have fun. Five immersive stations offer a variety of games to experience alone or in teams, with each season featuring a colourful new setting and new challenges.

The History of Montréal’s Alleyways

This fun exhibition invites visitors to discover the rich history of Montréal’s alleys, tracing their evolution from passthroughs and commercial laneways to real places for living, playing, and meeting—a key element of Montréal’s identity. Through archival photos, iconic objects, and period toys, visitors can re-experience the changing face of the city’s alleys with a touch of nostalgia. Interactive zones also give visitors a chance to explore the flora and fauna that can notably be found in our famous green alleys, as well as the cultural and artistic wealth that has developed in laneways in recent years.

Help us find our cat Louis Hector!

The cat Louis-Hector has disappeared somewhere in the alleys! Equipped with a booklet and guided by clues hidden in the exhibition, visitors can lead the investigation. It is an adventure filled with surprises that one can follow throughout your entire visit.

Tickets and Reservations

The exhibition can welcome a limited number of visitors per time slot. We therefore strongly recommend booking your tickets online before your visit. The reservation, included in the ticket price, guarantees access to the exhibition at a specific time, which must be respected.

Acknowledgements

The Alley-oop - An Interactive Adventure exhibition is produced by Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal’s Archaeology and History Complex, in collaboration with Exhibits Development Group and Electric Playhouse. The Museum thanks Hotel InterContinental Montréal, La Presse, Tourisme Montréal, and the City of Montréal.

About Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex

Inaugurated in 1992, on the city’s 350th anniversary, Pointe-à-Callière is today the largest archaeology museum in Canada and the busiest history museum in Montréal. Rising above a concentrated number of historic and archaeological sites of national significance (ncluding the birthplace of Montréal), the Museum has a mission to preserve its collections and to further knowledge, while showcasing and fostering an appreciation for Montréal’s archaeological and historical heritage. This mission is carried out through various activities focused on conservation, research, presentation, education, and inclusion, along with community initiatives benefiting both Montrealers and visitors to the city. Pointe-à-Callière, proud partner of the City of Montréal.

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The first top-most image in this article is courtesy of the Pointe-à-Callière Museum. 

All other photos in this article @ Nadia Slejskova 

For more information visit the Pointe-à-Callière museum website.