2. THE MONTREAL
CONNECTION
An emerging international creative hotbed
Sid Loves Montreal - one foot in the old world, one foot in the new - 4
Pole of Creativity - CirQUe dU Soleil - 14
Creativity Montreal - worldS within worldS - 16
Digital Arts - the SoCietY for ArtS And teChnoloGY - 20
Fashion & Design - 22
Videogame Capital - UBiSoft - 26
Urban Art - wAlK thiS wAY - 28
Photography - froM the eYe of CArl leSSArd - 30
Gastronomy - Joe Beef - 36
Gastronomy - MontreAl, CUlinArY CApitAl? - 38
Electronic Music - we CAn dAnCe if we wAnt to - 40
Contemporary Art - reGenerAtion - 42
but it can go down to
Montreal’s whitest winter ever was
of snow are collected each year
when the city was buried in
383 CM Of sNOw!
from montreal streets – that’s
4 5 0,0 0 0
In wInter,
-10ºC TO -25ºC
1970-1971,
More than
teMperatures generally range froM
7 sTORMs
durIng the 2007-2008 wInter season,
Montreal weathered more than
30 CM Of NEw sNOw!
13 million cubic metres
TRuCkLOAds!
-40ºC!
that each covered the city in
Contemporary Dance - the lAnGUAGe of loCK - 46
Indie Music - it’S A Zoo oUt there - 48
Comic City - the QUArter for drAwinG - 52
Cinema & Special Effects - the UnKnown MoVie StAr - 44
liStinGS - 56
NOM DE LA SECTION
- 2 -
3. SID LOVES MONTREAL
ONE fOOT
IN THE OLd
wORLd,
ONE fOOT
IN THE NEw
at tImes dIssonant but more often har-
monIously, the physIcal and cultural
contrasts and counterpoInts that col-
lIde, connect and coexIst wIthIn It make
montreal a bInary cIty, a place of dIs-
tInct dualItIes and a pole of creatIvIty.
BY Rupert Bottenberg
4. 2
“Montreal has one foot in North nology, Montreal provides a perfect
1 America and the other one in Eu- environment for ideas and imagina-
rope,” says Hélène Godin, creative tions to flourish and bear fruit.
director and partner at Sid Lee. 2006 UNESCO selected Mon-
That’s no small part of why she loves treal as an international City of De-
Montreal so much, a passion she sha- sign, a designation Godin helped
res with her colleagues. That’s why celebrate with a Sid Lee Collective
we’ve asked her to share it with you, poster project. A recruiter for Sid
the reader, in these pages. Lee, Godin says, “Montreal is both
The polarities abound in Mon- an attractive destination for foreign
treal. English and French dance designers and an excellent, expan-
around each other as countless eth- ding pool of talent from right here
nic groups from across the globe at home.”
mingle in a cosmopolitan kaleidos- That Montreal, in terms of in-
cope, in a city small enough to fa- ternational creative relevance, isn’t
vour footwork and familiarity over yet mentioned in the same breath
driving and distance. as New York or L.A., Paris or Berlin
Montreal’s winters, fearsomely only means that its artists, perfor-
cold and snow-caked, alternate with mers and designers remain unres-
summers of scorching heat and fren- tricted by expectations in their ex-
zied freedom. In its Old Port dis- periments and explorations.
trict, some of the oldest buildings in With such freedom, stimulation
North America sit side-by-side with and energy, it’s no surprise then that
the ultra-modern architecture of its so many talented and inspired indi-
digital industry centre. viduals have made of Montreal not
The inherent tensions of such just a residence but a true home.
extreme and eternally unresolved The magazine that you are hol-
dualities generate an invisible energy, ding right now, Sid Lee’s celebration
the perfect fuel for the mind and soul of the city we love so much, showca-
of the creative person. Be it in film, ses the brightest lights among them.
music, visual arts, dance, fashion,
design, cuisine, architecture or tech-
ONE FOOT IN THE OLD WORLD, ONE FOOT IN THE NEW
- 6 -
5. “expo 67 3
awakened
montreal
to the world
and changed
the face of the
cIty forever.”
- Hélène Godin
6. 4 5 6
Montreal’s landscape is peppered with iconic places and structures, spots
on the city map that have found their place in Montrealers’ hearts. Hélène
Godin, a creative director and partner at Sid Lee—and enthusiastic Mon-
treal booster—joins Université de Québec à Montréal’s renowned, even no-
torious, design professor Frédéric Metz on a tour to take stock of the city’s
most memorable sights.
1 the Jacques-cartIer brIdge 6 boulevard st-laurent and mIle-end
“Represents not only Montreal but A mixed neighbourhood where
North America,” says Metz, English and French blend happily.
“the American Dream.” The exterior staircases are a Mon-
treal trademark. Shop signs are “the
2 alexander calder’s “man” visual representation of a people’s
A monumental abstract sculpture. past and character,” says Godin.
3 habItat 67 7 the turcot Interchange
Moshe Safdie’s unique An ambitious and controversial 7 8 9
modular housing complex. “Expo structure. “A city must have a bit
67 awakened Montreal to the world of everything,” says Godin, “the
and changed the face of the city daring as well as the lasting.”
forever,” say Godin.
8 fonderIe darlIng
4 the bIosphère An excellent example of
Once the American Pavillion at successful restoration.
Expo 67, the Biosphère is located in
Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome. 9 the melvIn charney
gardens and cca
5 mont-royal park The Canadian Centre for Architec-
A favourite spot with squirrels ture is Montreal’s best-kept secret.
and picnickers alike. The cross,
vestige of Quebec’s Catholic 10 st-lawrence graIn sIlos
tradition, watches over the city. Sentinels of the river.
ONE FOOT IN THE OLD WORLD, ONE FOOT IN THE NEW
- 10 -
7. 10
Montreal seen by… Montreal seen by…
“CREATIvE “wITHOuT A dOubT, “MONTREAL “MONTREAL,
MONTREAL: MONTREAL Is A ALLOws ME TO REbEL Of THE
A gREAT gLObAL LEAdER LOvE. THE CITy AMERICAs.”
NATuRAL IN THE MuLTIMEdIA ALLOws bE TO bE, Philippe Dubuc
REsOuRCE!” wORLd, THANks TO LIvE, TO CREATE fAShion deSiGner
TO ITs IMpREssIvE ANd TO HAvE fuN Torcherbearer of the Quebec fashion scene,
Guy Laliberté
foUnder of CirQUe dU Soleil
CRITICAL MAss fREELy.ITs dIs- Dubuc’s collections are presented alongside
From street performer to worldwide Of TALENT, wHICH CREET CHARM pLAN- those of Dior, Hermès, Givenchy, Vuitton
and Galliano.
Entrepreneur of the Year, Guy Laliberté CONTINuALLy TEd THE sEEd fOR
reinvented the spirit of circus. Since CREATEs HIgH-quA- AN EvER-gROwINg
Cirque du Soleil’s inception in 1984, over
80 million spectators have seen its shows.
LITy INNOvATIvE LOvE AffAIR.” “MONTREAL:
pROduCTs.” m0851
INsTINCTs
For the past 20 years, m0851 has been ANd EMOTIONs.”
“IN MONTREAL, OuR Stephane D’Astous
GenerAl MAnAGer,
building a strong global reputation with
Normand Laprise
CREATIvE TEAM HAs eidoS-MontreAl
its high-quality leather bags and unique
Chef And owner of toQUé!
suCH A gREAT IMA- Major video game publisher Eidos chose
designs. All are designed, manufactured
and managed in Montreal. Toqué! is one of North America’s top
gINATION THAT I Montreal and its talented workforce for restaurants. Normand Laprise’s warm
HAd NO CHOICE buT its new development studio. personality, leadership and unique vision
of product-centered cuisine have made
TO jOIN IN THE fuN.” him one of the leading figures in Canadian
culture and world cuisine.
Rémi Racine
preSident And exeCUtiVe
prodUCer, A2M
(Artificial Mind And Movement)
Founded in 1992, A2M is a Montreal-
based videogame developer specializing
in interactive action-adventure games.
MONTREAL SEEN BY... MONTREAL SEEN BY...
- 12 - - 13 -
8. POLE OF CREATIVITY
CIRquE
du sOLEIL
A UniQUe And CreAtiVe
enVironMent
BY Sarah Lévesque
tionale de Zaragoza exhibition supervision, and all around the proud of our latest event, be- tire evening, showcasing the 90% of my team is made up of
Since its creation in 1984, in Spain. world: from Toronto, Dubai cause, we never repeat oursel- stadium, fireworks and a ballet Quebeckers, given the incredible
Cirque du Soleil’s mission is to and Buenos Aires, to Berlin, ves, we try to outdo ourselves. of vehicles dancing around the pool of creative talent in Mon-
invoke the imaginary, provoke hAVe YoU MAnAGed to Clone YoUr- New York, Las Vegas and Rio I would say that this mentality guests. It was spectacular. treal. I keep up-to-date about
the senses and evoke emotions Self? _ There’s the Jean-François de Janeiro. we have of always coming up what’s available here, and then if I
in people around the globe. The Bouchard, President of Sid Lee, with something new stems from how do YoU CoMe Up with All need anything abroad, I go get it.
result? The company founded and Jean-François Bouchard, So it’S A SUBSidiArY of CirQUe dU our leader, Guy Laliberté. Last theSe GreAt ideAS? BY GroUpinG Despite the combination of dif-
by Guy Laliberté boasts a criti- Director of Event Creation at Soleil thAt iS Still not well year’s labour of love was the toGether All the riGht people? _ ferent nationalities at the Cirque,
cal and financial success, having Cirque du Soleil. Known, BUt thAt iS GrowinG with Fiat event. From the very start, Teamwork is always key to a our Montreal way of thinking
won the hearts of 80 million It’s funny, because people liGhtninG Speed… _ That’s for we established a wonderful re- project’s success. To get the ri- always shines through, which is
spectators and presenting 18 are often confused. We gave a sure. Ten years ago, this subsi- lationship with the people from ght people together, I work what I believe gives us the ability
shows on every continent. In conference once at the Mon- diary of Cirque promoted only Fiat, who let us choose the site, like in Mission Impossible, with a to equip ourselves with a unique
all, 4,000 employees, including treal Board of Trade on the same its own shows. It was in Mon- the Marble Stadium in Rome, binder full of people at my dis- and extraordinary creative envi-
1,000 artists from 40 different morning. It’s always amusing treal that we created a name for to unveil the new Bravo. We set posal. I turn the pages and se- ronment. I’ve never come across
countries, are hard at work eve- for people to see that we’re the ourselves by organizing the fa- up in the middle of the stadium lect the individuals who meet this type of spirit or way of thin-
ry day. But that’s not all. This same age and that we work in si- mous Grand Prix Formula One for three days, during which the event’s needs, whether in king elsewhere, even though I’ve
large dream factory also inclu- milar fields. parties. Since we were dealing we received 3,000 people from projection, performance, food, worked around the world.
des an event-marketing sphere, with an international clientele, everywhere in Europe every lighting or sound. It’s my main
which is not as well known, but in ConCrete terMS, whAt doeS the news travelled fast. At the evening. To get there, we crea- job, to be able to get the right we CAn heAr people SinGinG At
is just as spectacular. Interview YoUr JoB ConSiSt in? whAt doeS same time, event marketing ted a tunnel so people wouldn’t people together, to have a sense the top of their lUnGS in the
with Jean-François Bouchard, A direCtor of eVent CreAtion do was growing rapidly around the recognize the location. They of the energy and craziness that rooM next door. iS it SoMeone’S
Director of Event Creation At CirQUe dU Soleil? _ I’m in world, and we took advantage of would have cocktails, diner go together. BirthdAY? _ No, it’s always like
at Cirque du Soleil, the man charge of corporate events that this movement. and a circus show in the dining that here. We work in event
behind some one hundred or so promote our own shows as well room. At the end of the meal, CirQUe dU Soleil iS A VASt pool thAt marketing, so we need to have
happenings around the world as large-scale, private turnkey YoU Are reSponSiBle for neArlY the roof would drop, revealing MASterfUllY CoMBineS CreAtorS fun. From Monday to Friday, it’s
each year, from the opening of events. We currently have 70 100 eVentS per YeAr. whiCh do YoU a sheet measuring 120 metres froM All oVer the world. howe- just crazy around here.
a casino in Macao to a parade fea- events on the agenda for the ConSider A ViCtorY, A Sweet AC- by 30 metres on which images Ver, iS there A MontreAl wAY of ACroBAt froM Corteo, one of
turing 70 artists for the Interna- coming months, all under my CoMpliShMent? _ We’re always were projected during the en- doinG thinGS? _ I would say that CirQUe dU Soleil’S prodUCtionS.
NOM DE LA SECTION
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL NOM DE LA SECTION
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
- 14 - - 15 -
9. CREATIVITY MONTREAL
wORLds
wITHIN
wORLds
MontreAl’S CUltUrAl lABorAtorY
BY Lucinda Catchlove
A BilinGUAl CitY
in A frenCh
proVinCe in An
enGliSh Continent...
Nowhere is this more evident gner Renata Morales and artist
than along St-Laurent Boule- Carlito Dalceggio.
vard, the street that divides
MontreAl’S lAYerS Montreal into East and West,
where all the disparate ele-
ments that create the city’s
Speaking in tongues
“I’ve never thought about the
issue of two languages in res-
of CUltUre CAn character intersect. Bustling
with youthful hipsters, debo-
pect to creative potential,” says
Reeves, who is distinctly Que-
Be peeled BACK to
nair artists, tattooed musicians becois even if born in upstate
and the street’s original Eastern New York. “But it’s clear that
European immigrants and their the interactions between the
reVeAl worldS
children, St-Laurent is home to two cultures create zones of
both tradition and innovation. friction, zones of tension, and
Ex-Centris, Daniel Langlois’ that tension can in turn create
Both reAl And paean to new technologies and
creation, contrasts with the
traditional Jewish businesses,
an energy which can potenti-
ally develop in creative ways.”
He also points to Montreal’s
iMAGined where and chic restaurants and trendy
boutiques that sit cheek-to-
Allophones—immigrants who-
se mother tongue is neither
the pASt And
cheek with gritty dives. Sid Lee English nor French—as a rich
sat down at Schwartz’s Delica- source of cultural renewal and
tessen, the home of Montreal’s vibrancy. Renata Morales, her-
fUtUre exiSt
famous smoked meat sandwich self an immigrant from Mexico
since 1928, to discuss Montreal via France, can speak directly
as a creative city with UQAM about coming to live in a bicul-
SiMUltAneoUSlY. professor Nicolas Reeves, cho-
reographer Manon Oligny, desi-
tural city. “I found the prospect
of adapting to two cultures dif-
WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS
- 16 - - 17 -
10. ferent and very interesting. It’s the language, it can have a very integrates diversity and forms
really very rich as a city and as stimulating effect on your level of communication, is central to MANON OLIgNy
a culture.” of creation.” Montreal’s creative and acade- Artistic director and choreo-
Carlito Dalceggio, a native mic communities. But for cul- grapher Manon Oligny explo-
Montrealer who embodies the Creative contamination ture to be effective, for meaning res and exalts intimacy in her
city’s bohemian aspects and “Even if the act of creation is and memes to contaminate and work with a direct and carnal
draws upon a global palate of solitary,” the location is impor- spread, it must travel beyond excessiveness that saturates her
cultures in his work and many tant, asserts Reeves, who be- the context of the laboratory. dance with drama, intensity
collaborations, sees this ability lieves that the fluid nature of All agree that travel and inter- and raw physicality. She often
to speak in many tongues as a Montreal society allows for a national exposure are crucial; engages in cross-disciplinary
means to access deeper cultural special fusion and collaboration not only to survive as professio- collaborations and has wor-
conduits. “I think every lan- between disciplines.“Because nal creators but also to ensure ked with writer Nelly Arcan,
guage brings its own channel of the social structure here is that Quebec’s artists rise to an as well as Wajdi Mouawad,
creation,” he says, tapping into much less hierarchal and com- international caliber of excel- Claude Poissant, Jean Salvy,
the mystical and magical aspects partmentalized than Paris or lence. They point to how Mon- Pierre Bernard, Serge De-
of the city. Conversely, Manon London, it permits transdis- treal’s current creative vibrancy noncourt and Denis Bernard.
Oligny—who is also a native of ciplinary practices to develop is a result of investment in the Her residencies have taken
Montreal—finds inspiration in much more easily.” arts, public and private support, her to Tunisia and Portugal.
being alone in a context where With artists and academics and the recognition of the social
she can explore the many as- supported by private and go- and commercial importance
pects of communication that vernment investment for colla- of culture. RENATA MORALEs
exist beyond words. “Creation borative research, Montreal has In this crucible of time, ton- A fashion designer and visual ar-
is a personal act, a solitary act become a laboratory where art, gues, territory and technology, tist renowned for her innovative
for me wherever I am,” she ex- science and philosophy fuse. Montreal’s culture burns bri- use of fabrics and techniques,
plains. “In my work, I often seek The idea of cross-cultural ghtly. “There’s a passion for life Renata Morales creates clothes
to put myself in contexts where contamination and openness transmitted here that’s hard to that are simultaneously elegant
I don’t understand the langua- to innovation, of an organic quantify,” concludes Dalceggio. and confrontational. Her Mon-
ge. When you don’t understand evolution that embraces and It is this ineffable and intangible treal boutique is a riot of color
aspect of Montreal, this passion and texture, with fabrics wo-
that contaminates everyone and ven, pleated and constructed in
everything, that makes Mon- unconventional ways to beau-
treal into a grand cultural expe- tiful effect. Morales’ paintings
riment quite unlike anywhere also reflect this fusion of the
else in the world. pretty and the shocking, and ex-
press a powerful femininity that
asserts its originality with a de-
CARLITO dALCEggIO ceptively naïve sophistication.
A painter and nomadic crea-
tive shaman, Carlito Dalceg- NICOLAs REEvEs
gio’s flair for the dramatic is as An architect, physicist and artist,
evident in the construction of Nicolas Reeves busies himself
his own colorful character as inventing the art of the future.
in his work. Rich in references Scientific Director of Hexagram
that range from Modernism to and Vice President of Société des
Ancient Egyptian art, his large Arts Technologiques, he’s also a
canvases are an explosion of vi- professor at the department of de-
brancy and movement that cap- sign at the Université du Québec
ture the pure romance of pain- à Montréal, where he heads the
ting. Equally renowned for his NXI GESTATIO laboratory for
“happenings” —mesmerizing, research and creation in computer
chaotic rituals incorporating science, architecture and design.
music, dance and visual art—he Reeves creates sculptures that
frequently collaborates with explore complex systems and the
other artists and companies territory where art, science, natu-
such as Cirque du Soleil. re and technology converge.
WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS
- 18 - - 19 -
11. deVelopped in pArt At the SAt, the Cyclorama iS An AppArAtUS for CreAtinG iMMerSiVe AUdioViSUAl enVironMentS on A lArGe SCAle.
thiS one iS ArS nAtUrA, A perMAnent interACtiVe inStAllAtion in the SQUAre ViCtoriA Metro StAtion. it offerS VirtUAl ACCeSS to MontreAl’S
SCienCe MUSeUMS: the BiodoMe, inSeCtAriUM, BotAniCAl GArden, And plAnetAriUM.
DIGITAL ARTS
THE some filming was taking place
on the first floor. Upstairs, a
soCIETy group of diligent worker bees
fOR
were parked at their computers.
In a closed room, some teena-
ARTs gers in for a summer session
were learning the technologies
ANd used by VJs and DJs. At the
TECH-
back of the building, artist-in-
residence Yan Breuleux was fi-
NOLOgy ne-tuning an installation of six
plasma screens for the 400th
anniversary of Quebec City.
plUGGed into the fUtUre Next to him, Luc Courchesne
teChno CirCUS / was working on his 360-de-
diGitAl GAMeS gree Panoscope, an immersive
screen that had just come back
BY Sarah Lévesque from a museum in Beijing,
China. The creation of the
Ask a devotee of the Society for Panoscope recently prompt-
Arts and Technology (SAT) to ed Virgin Galactic to order a
describe the organization and Panodome, which simulates
you could easily get lost in the voyages through space and was
sea of words that ensues. “Abo- presented at the Espace Louis
ve all else, we are a centre for re- Vuitton gallery in Paris.
search and creation in the field Although the SAT serves
of digital art,” explains its dyna- Montrealers in a million differ-
mic founder and general mana- ent ways, it was created in the
ger Monique Savoie. The SAT’s wake of an international fo-
physical space is an enormous rum, the International Sympo-
open play area that extends over sium on Electronic Art (ISEA),
two stories in which its creative in 1995. “For many people, this
staff use new technologies, then event was the beginning of a
produce and broadcast their movement. Montreal got on
work. The reason for this is ob- board immediately by bringing
vious. “It’s a lot easier to see or people together from all over
hear digital art than to explain the world that very year. We
it. That’s why the SAT is open are in constant contact with
to the public, and presents ins- different partners in Finland,
tallations and shows — so that Sweden, Catalonia and the east
digital art can be experienced coast of the U.S., with 30% of
first-hand.” our clients in New York and
In total, 240 events, eve- Boston. V2, a centre for uns-
ning performances, launches table media, is on the verge of
and avant-garde expositions opening in the Netherlands.
take place at the SAT each year.
In other words, the place is
hopping. When we were there,
www.sat.qc.ca
THE SOCIETY FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY THE SOCIETY FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
- 20 - - 21 -
12. fuRNI
Furni creators are shifting their focus more and more and exploring and
creating their own designs in wood. They are still very hands-on, from
picking the rough lumber all the way to staining, finishing, boxing and
shipping the final product.
BY Rupert Bottenberg
FASHION & DESIGN
- 22 -
FASHION & DESIGN
innoVAtion And CrAftSMAnShip.
deCor theY BUY—not to Mention
ACCeSSorieS, fUrnitUre And hoMe
flAShCArd looK At SoMe MontreAl
CreAtorS MAKinG wAVeS with their
SoMe people liVe to worK, BUt Mon-
Be VerY SeleCtiVe ABoUt the fAShion,
treAlerS worK to liVe. And SinCe theY
thoSe theY deSiGn. here’S A rApid-fire,
liKe to liVe in StYle, MontreAlerS CAn
- 23 -
FASHION & DESIGN
Harakiri philippe dubuc
Sometimes with cruel shapes, this designer’s creations express a soft ag- Montreal’s fashion designer Philippe Dubuc redefines what it means
gressiveness, but are always surprisingly soothing on the skin, as if their to be urban. At the core of his thinking is that clothing should reflect
vibrations could emit an elusive energy, reminding us of the magic from the soul and always play on individuality. Rather than impose a look,
which we all come. Philippe Dubuc proposes it.
13. periphere samare
Thien and My express their personal vision of furniture. Their new Comprised of four architects and designers, Samare is a young collec-
ideas reflect their interpretation of what furniture could, should or tive that revisits national cultural emblems and translates them into
ought to be. contemporary objects that are transplantable globally.
- 24 -
FASHION & DESIGN
- 25 -
FASHION & DESIGN
spyder suCC
Spyder motorcycle, by Bombardierr, brings the active riding style com- Every day, countless work hours are wasted in endless meetings. Louis-
monly associated with off-road vehicles to the road. The result is an en- Thomas Pelletier and Gabrielle St-Pierre’s solution is SUCC: a Slightly
tirely new riding sensation on pavement. Uncomfortable Chair Collection, for shorter and more efficient meetings.
14. VIDEOGAME CAPITAL The Montreal touch
MontreAl:
ubI-
For all employees of the Montreal studio, the
spirit behind their bilingual city was in part
responsible for this success. “There’s a Mon- QUite the
sOfT
treal flavour to most of our games. Yesterday, a
prominent Japanese video game design studio
came to visit,” said storyboard artist Wayne A.
plAYGroUnd
Murray. According to him, “Our games have so- One simply has to list the number of video game
mething North American and European about studios in Montreal to see how this industry has
them.” Patrick Désilets added that his latest grown in the city. There’s the American Electro-
life iS liKe project, Assassins Creed, which was one of the
bestselling Playstation 3 games in 2007 (more
nic Arts and Javaground, the British Eidos, the
French Ubisoft and Cyanide, in addition to the
A Video GAMe: than six million copies in six months), takes pla-
ce during a complete medieval crusade, with an
A2M offices. In the industry, reference is openly
made to a new El Dorado, a true North American
MiSSion
expert assassin as the main character. “I think hub. In October 2007, the French newspaper Libé-
only Montrealers could come up with such a sce- ration wrote a highly praising headline that read:
nario based on religious war, given the current “Montreal, Video Game Capital.” A few facts ex-
ACCoMpliShed context.” Nearly 300 employees worked on the
game for four years, during which period a king-
plain the creation of a favourable environment for
multimedia publishers and design studios.
BY Sarah Lévesque dom, three cities, 200 characters and 10,000 “We were the first to arrive in Montreal in
animations were designed. the gaming universe,” said Patrick Désilets, Crea-
At the end of the very lively Saint-Viateur Street is Montreal’s Ubisoft studio moves to its own tive Director at Ubisoft. But the introduction of
a five-storey building. A simple, strong, yet natu- rhythm and its own habits, according to the ci- new players makes the industry even more dyna-
ral presence. In bright letters: Ubisoft. Although ty’s bohemian lifestyle. For example, having the mic and competitive.” We have to say that the
when it opened in 1997 the French video game de- interview run over into lunchtime was not an op- Quebec government played an important role by
sign studio – the headquarters are in France – took tion. At precisely 12 o’clock noon, Saint-Viateur creating a tax credit program to encourage jobs in
up only one of the storeys in this brick building, Street, which already attracts a variety of artists, this field. Many had a sense of this growing busi-
things are no longer the same today. From 10 em- is bursting with programmers and animators ness as early as the year 2000. And given Ubisoft’s
ployees in its first week of business, Ubisoft Mon- making their way to sandwich shops other ca- success, no one ever questioned the existence of a
treal now counts 2,000 staff members, which is fés to grab a bite to eat. This close relationship qualified and creative workforce. The city’s dif-
1,500 more than its second largest office, located with Mile End is so important to Désilets that, ferent universities also met with Ubisoft in order
in Shanghai. Today, every inch of this high-securi- in 2007, he organized an outdoor event to ce- to offer a specialized curriculum adapted to the
ty building is inhabited by the company. How can lebrate Ubisoft’s 10 years of existence. The re- job market.
such success be explained? sult? With the Pop Montreal music festival, the Let us recall that two companies greatly fa-
“Let’s just say there was a before and an af- Fantasia film festival and the help of local mer- voured the presence of programmers, computer
ter Splinter Cell,” said Patrice Désilets, Creative chants, Ubisoft closed Saint-Viateur Street on 5 specialists and expert creators. Created by Que-
Director and employee since day one of Ubisoft blocks and offered a variety of activities during beckers in the 1990s, Discreet and Softimage
Montreal. At the beginning, the Montreal stu- the entire day. Another success, given the 25,000 marked this era by creating an innovative digital
dio developed only children’s games. In 2001, the people who attended. technology. Founded in 1986 by Daniel Langlois,
launching of Splinter Cell, an infiltration game ins- This success has enabled the company to Softimage revolutionized the industry by crea-
pired by Tom Clancy novels, revealed the studio’s always see bigger, to go further beyond. The new ting 3D animation software that facilitates the
abilities. “We designed a very realistic and organic challenge? With the acquisition of Hybrid Tech- creative process while decreasing production
military spy game, with plays on lights and sha- nologies in the summer of 2008, the company now costs. In 1994, when Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic
dows, qualities which had never before been seen wants to specialize in special effects and to get in- Park propelled the company into the top position
on the market. And our timing was good, too. For volved in the film industry. “Developing this type worldwide, Langlois sold Softimage to Microsoft.
the first six months, Splinter Cell worked only on of technology will enable us to get ready for the It is now owned by Avid Technologie. Discreet,
the new Xbox. People were buying it to show their new generation of game consoles.” But don’t ask now called Autodesk, was also sold to a US firm in
friends the capabilities of the game console.” Mis- any more questions, Désilets and Murray are wor- 1999. Today, in 2008, Montreal continues to reap
sion accomplished, since Splinter Cell’s success king on projects that will remain top secret until the benefits of all those years of research and ex-
was both critically and commercially acclaimed. their launch date. pertise, making it a unique playground.
Altair iS the MAin ChArACter in ASSASSin’S Creed, CreAted
BY MontreAl’S UBiSoft StUdio. More thAn 7 Million CopieS hAVe
Been Sold SinCe itS releASe in noVeMBer 2007.
NOM DE LA SECTION UBISOFT
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15. URBAN ART Montrealers are pretty blasé Cans Festival in the UK. He’s also their show on the road and re-
about the art and advertising realized commissions for Cirque present Montreal’s writers on an
that vividly vies for our attention du Soleil, Earth Day ’06 and ’07, international level (and to also
on the vertical surfaces of the ur- Darling Foundry, Ecole Lambert work within the realms of fine
ban landscape. It took art appea- Closse and, of course, Sid Lee. art). HVW8 artists include the
ring literally on the streets over- Roadsworth’s art continues to brilliant Gene ‘Starship’ Pen-
night to stop us in our tracks. surprise, delightfully provoking don, Dan ‘DSTRBO’ Buller and
Suddenly a yellow crosswalk thought about public space that Tyler ‘Ty G’ Gibney (who holds
was transformed into a row of are both pedestrian and para- down the fort in LA).
candles or a giant footprint, traf- mount. “Personally, I feel that
fic lines mysteriously morphed public space should reflect the www.HVW8.com
into heartbeat monitor rhythms people who occupy it,” explains
or a gigantic zipper. These cheeky
public works were all created by
Gibson. “There’s much more to
people occupying a city than di-
dARE-dARE
Dare-Dare is a Centre de dif-
Roadsworth (aka Peter Gibson), rections and advertising.”
fusion d’art multidisciplinaire de
a Montreal-based artist/activist/
Montréal, meaning they get up
musician who started using spray www.roadsworth.com
to all kinds of strange and arty
paint and stencils to subvert the
things all over the place. From
orderly iconography of Mon-
public interventions like gue-
treal’s roads in 2001 (initially
by creating guerilla bike paths gRAffITI rilla camping to creative colla-
around the city). REsEARCH borations that take art out of
“There’s a community spi- LAb MONTREAL the gallery and onto the streets,
Dare-Dare is an artist-run cen-
rit that’s possible here,” says Gib- GRL’s motto is “urban commu-
nication for urban commandos,” tre that supports the city’s art-
son about Montreal. “Because
and they’re on a mission to tag ists who refuse to be contained
it’s on a more human scale, you
the cities of the world with li- by four white walls.
feel more of a personal attach-
ment than in a bigger, more im- ght. Using video projections,
the Montreal cell uses the city’s www.dare-dare.org
personal kind of city. You feel
wALk THIs wAy
you have a right and the space surfaces as a canvas on which to
is as much yours as it is the project ephemeral graffiti. To uNdER
city’s.” Even though Montrealers achieve their mission they’ve
built a “Weapon of Mass De-
pREssuRE
were delighted by Roadsworth’s Montreal’s International Graf-
aesthetic interventions, city of- facement,” aka a custom bike
fiti Convention, Under Pres-
ficials frowned upon such public trailer complete with integra-
sure, first hit the streets (and the
ted sound system, video projec-
BY the tiMe hiS CASe went to triAl
mischief and illicit roadwork. walls) in 1995 and has been going
Caught “yellow handed” in 2004, tion and FM broadcasting (and
full blast ever since. The festival
Gibson faced monumental fines powered by a deep cell battery
in 2006, pUBliC SUpport for hiS worK hAd and possible incarceration but, by
the time his case went to trial in
system). GRL bomb the city
with eye-opening light!
attracts writers from the US and
Europe, and serves as a yearly
left An indeliBle MArK on CitY hAll.
nexus for local hip hop artists
2006, public support for his work (from writers through DJs and
had left an indelible mark on City www.graffitiresearchlab.ca
breakers, and stretching stylisti-
SUrpriSinGlY, the ArtiSt wAS ordered Hall. Surprisingly, the artist was
ordered to undertake 40 hours of
cally from hip hop into dubstep
Hvw8 and beyond).
to UndertAKe 40 hoUrS of CoMMUnitY community service doing exactly
what had gotten him into trou- pROduCTIONs underpressure.com
SerViCe doinG exACtlY whAt hAd Gotten ble—creating public art.
Since making peace with
HVW8 is a design house, a crew
of promotional gurus and all-
round stylin’ peeps around town subv bOuTIquE
hiM into troUBle - CreAtinG pUBliC Art.
City Hall, Roadsworth has stee-
red his creativity along more legal (that would be both Montreal This store/gallery sells toys, art
avenues to increasing internatio- and LA) that was founded in and gear for and by aesthetically
nal acclaim. Last May, he exhibi- 1998 (the LA gallery opened in advanced street artists.
roAdSworth pAVeS the wAY 2005). They were the first crew
ted alongside Banksy and Shepard
for pUBliC Art
Fairey, giants of street art and art of local graffiti artists to take www.subv.net
BY Lucinda Catchlove
world darlings, at the London
WALK THIS WAY WALK THIS WAY
- 28 - - 29 -
16. PHOTOGRAPHY
Carl
From the eye of
Les-
French musicals of the past 30 years, such as Starmania and Notre-Dame-de-Paris. He has
Luc Plamondon - Author and songwriter Luc Plamondon has created some of the best
sard
worked for numerous internationally acclaimed artists such as Celine Dion.
ask photographer carl lessard to
descrIbe hIs style, and he’s got one
word for you: tImeless. sure, you
mIght raIse an eyebrow over the
term, whIch ImplIes aspIratIons
bIgger than nature Itself, but a
mere glance at hIs photos wIll
take you through tIme, beyond the
decades and ages. orIgInally from
montreal, thIs InternatIonally
renowned photographer has more
than 20 years of experIence wor-
kIng In dIfferent areas, IncludIng
campaIgns (such as lancôme),
fashIon photography and human
portraIts, whIch always reveal
a unIque sIde of hIs subJects.
some of the people he’s photogra-
phed are the dalaI lama, nelson
mandela, luc plamondon, celIne
dIon and robert lepage.
NOM DE LA SECTION NOM DE LA SECTION
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17. Robert Lepage - Quebec native Robert Lepage is equally talented as a director, scenic artist,
playwright, actor and film director. His creative and original approach to theatre has won
him international acclaim and shaken the dogma of classical stage direction to its founda-
tions, especially through his use of new technologies. Contemporary history is his source of
inspiration, and his modern and unusual work transcends all boundaries. He works and lives
in beautiful Quebec City, but is a frequent contributor to the cultural landscape in Montreal.
- 32 -
NOM DE LA SECTION
- 33 -
FROM THE EYE OF CARL LESSARD
Louise Lecavalier - One of the most brilliant and tragic dancers of our time, Louise
Lecavalier pushed back the boundaries of modern dance. Principal dancer of La La La
Human Steps for 18 years, she is an emblematic figure of modern dance in Canada and has
gained international recognition.
18. Kent Nagano - Kent Nagano has established an international reputation as a gifted inter-
preter of both the operatic and symphonic repertoire. In 2006, he chose to lead the highly
respected Montreal Symphony Orchestra. One of the reasons he gave was to join the creative
community of the city, which he feels combines the best features of North American and Euro-
pean cultures.
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FROM THE EYE OF CARL LESSARD
- 35 -
NOM DE LA SECTION
Armand Vaillancourt - Iconic sculptor and social activist in Quebec, Armand Vaillan-
court uses symbolic figurative elements in some of his work. His unique sculptures made
of unusual materials can be seen around the world and are a fundamental part of Quebec’s
contemporary art history.
19. GASTRONOMY
jOE
what we’re doing, tell Monet stories,” grins Mc-
Millan, making light of restaurateurs whose me-
nus are clogged with details about the history of
bEEf
every carrot they serve.
Frankness is a key word for the pair who run
Joe Beef, so much so that they won’t hesitate to
come back at clients who lack respect. McMillan
once had words with a Vancouver woman, a food
critic, who sniffed that the skillet-seared foie
gras wasn’t warm enough. “With us, the custo-
mer isn’t always right. But if they’re willing to
adapt, we’re ready to give them our all.” In 2006,
SiMplY And frédériC Morin
dAVid MCMillAn
CooKinG American magazine Gourmet published a special
edition on Montreal, and in its wake, a horde
of publications—Maclean’s, Saveur, Food&Wine
Magazine—set down in town and heralded the
BY Sarah Lévesque quality and affordability of its restaurants. Nee-
dles to say, Joe Beef received its fair share of the
At the urging of patrons and clients, in 2005, Da- spotlight.
vid McMillan and Frédéric Morin rented a locale
in Little Burgundy, an emerging neighborhood
off the beaten paths of downtown and the Plateau
“with US, the
district. Their challenge was to establish a small
dining room for about 35 patrons, charming and CUStoMer iSn’t
AlwAYS riGht. BUt
intimate, somewhere between a pub, a bistro and
a neighborhood restaurant. “It was a risky ven-
ture for Montreal. We were the very first to open
a little space like that. Now, of course, there are
plenty around.” if theY’re willinG
The name they chose for this first restaurant
of their own was Joe Beef. An icon of the 19th cen- to AdApt, we’re
reAdY to GiVe
tury, the surly yet generous Irish Montrealer ran a
legendary tavern, the basement of which housed a
menagerie that included foxes, bears and cougars.
The story of this simple and honest man seemed
the ideal emblem for a cuisine without fanfare, theM oUr All.”
straightforward and tasty, avoiding at all costs The story continues—to the left of Joe Beef,
the artifice of nouvelle cuisine, the blending of the pair have opened a sandwich shop and wine
improbable ingredients. Their specialties would bar, the McKeirnan. On the right side, they ope-
be meats served rare, fish and shellfish. During ned last year another restaurant in the spirit of
their interview, the two men answer the phone to Joe Beef, the Liverpool House. Its name recalls
take reservations themselves while snacking on Joe Beef’s direct competition in the 1800s, a Pro-
avocado and cubed beef, aged for tenderness and testant establishment which served the captains
cooked rare, ready in a flash. of the English boats, while Beef served his fellow
“We’re cultivating an informal aesthetic. Catholics. Behind the three spaces, a scaled-down
Fred and I, we like it up north, in Bas du Fleuve, garden and a patio for summertime. “We can
going to the chalet. We hand-built our restaurant, have, in the same room, a table of Italians, two
finding chairs here and there. I like greeting peo- Jews from Côte-St-Luc over there, French-spea-
ple in my everyday clothes, without a table d’hôte king Quebecois next to them, some West Island
on the menu. We always serve quality products, Anglos in running shoes and musicians from New
healthy food, but we don’t brag about where the York who are passing through. You have the be a
food we cook comes from. For us, it goes without chameleon to run a dining room like that. That’s
saying. Above all, we don’t want to romanticize Montreal. It’s beautiful.”
JOE BEEF NOM DE LA SECTION
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20. GASTRONOMY
Mon-
Martin Picard, owner of the restaurant Au
Pied de Cochon, Stelio Perombelon at Les Cons
treaL,
Servent, Frédéric Morin and David McMillan
at Joe Beef and the Liverpool House are stand-
outs among the many who’ve come from learn-
Culinary
ing with Laprise. The result is, since 2000, an
abundance of neighbourhood restaurants of-
fering highly original fare. The whereabouts
capital?
of a number are treasured like tightly-held
secrets, as much for their menus as for their
wine cards, places like Pop, Le Bouchonné,
Bu, La Montée de Lait and Les Cons Servent.
While some, like American magazine Gourmet,
This fondness for regional foods, from Lac
believe that to be true, others will highlight a
Brome duck to Le Pied de Vent cheese from
thousand and one spots in the city without
the Madeleine Islands, has started several
mentioning any evident culinary identity. The
chefs on a return to the source, a revisiting of
city’s menus have changed dramatically in the
typical Quebecois cuisine—something that
last 15 years, and to hear many young chefs say
would have elicited howls just a few years ago.
it, one man is largely responsible for the re-
newal. Normand Laprise and the kitchens of
his restaurant Toqué! were a unique school due
to the exceptional skills, creativity and bounty CUlinArY CApitAl
of quality local foods found there. For Frédé-
ric Morin, now chef at restaurant Joe Beef, it or not, MontreAl
was illuminating. “Laprise showed us a way of
doing things. All of us who worked at Toqué! hAS SUCCeeded
know our local products, can preserve them,
can prepare fish and meats, and know how to in itS tASK—
season them.” Irrefutable proof of Toqué!’s
gastronomic standards lies in its placing among AttrACtinG A fol-
lowinG froM hoMe
the select club of the chain Relais & Château’s
Relais Gourmands.
norMAnd lApriSe And ABroAd for
And the KitChenS itS AUdACioUS And
of hiS reStAUrAnt diVerSe CUiSine.
toQUé! were A The standard bearer in this realm is doubt-
lessly Pied de Cochon’s Martin Picard, who’s
UniQUe SChool dUe brought the dishes of grannies and regional
diners back into favour. Thus poutine—the
to the exCeptionAl emblematic junk food of Quebec, composed
of fries, curd cheese and gravy—is refashio-
SKillS, CreAtiVitY ned with foie gras and wine sauce at Pied de
Cochon, or with lobster and white sauce at the
And BoUntY of QUA- chic Garde Manger. The idea had enough im-
pact to grab the attention of the international
litY loCAl foodS
press, including the New York Times. Culinary
capital or not, Montreal has succeeded in its
task—attracting a following from home and
foUnd there. abroad for it s audacious and diverse cuisine.
NOM DE LA SECTION MONTREAL, CULINARY CAPITAL?
- 38 - - 39 -
