IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS

Permanent exhibition Tshilanu Ilnuatsh

La Boîte Rouge VIF was contracted in 2018 by the Musée amérindien de Mashteuiatsh to create the design and museography of a new permanent exhibition. True to its approach, La Boîte Rouge VIF collaborated with members of the community and the museum’s staff as much as possible and this, at every step of the process.

Design workshops were held with cultural experts from the community to define the exhibition path, the visitors’ experience, the atmosphere, what needs to be transmitted and how it should be conveyed. Very quickly, the idea of representing the relationship the Ilnuatsh have with their territory emerged as the main guideline of the exhibition. But how can such a link be represented? To achieve this, the creative team focused on the experiential side, in other words, “making the visitor experience it” through a journey rather than trying to explain it.

Several artists from the community were designated to produce artworks related to the seasons, artisans created objects that are displayed in the exhibition and the furniture was built in collaboration with the local company Mitshuap. Moreover, Sophie Kurtness, a member of the community herself, acted as co-artistic director and her involvement was solicited from the very beginning of the project.

We are very proud of the comments we received; the members of the Mashteuiatsh community were very positive and recognized themselves within it. More devices, especially for the younger ones, will eventually be added to this exhibition, which will continue to evolve over time.

Congratulations to the whole team.

Realization partners from left to right: Jacques CLEARY (Entr. Mitshuap), Louise SIMÉON (Museum), Sophie KURTNESS (BRV Team), Isabelle GENEST ( General Director Museum), Marie-Christine GIRARD (BRV Team), René BUCKELL (Owner Entr. Mitshuap), Luc DUMARESQ (Director Solotech) Claudia NÉRON (General Director BRV)

Articles related to the exhibition

https://www.lequotidien.com/actualites/reouverture-et-nouvelle-exposition-pour-le-musee-amerindien-de-mashteuiatsh-d9f842d1d8dc708745e38679867c3de4?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR06GLtgrVK8QNdj1oKZLn-MmvaGPK7OSbrKq8TgQhChmrWlXc2rOssRk1g

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/espaces-autochtones/1716268/art-histoire-autochtone-premieres-nations-innu-lac-saint-jean-musee-pekuakamiulnuatsh?fbclid=IwAR06GLtgrVK8QNdj1oKZLn-MmvaGPK7OSbrKq8TgQhChmrWlXc2rOssRk1g

https://www.letoiledulac.com/actualite/nouvelle-exposition-tres-ludique-au-musee-amerindien-de-mashteuiatsh/

Process and activity design and implementation with Telus World of Science in Edmonton

The Telus World of Science in Edmonton has approached La Boîte Rouge VIF for support in the design and implementation of processes and activities enabling collaboration with First Peoples within the framework of the onset of an exhibition project regarding the Arctic. As the current situation dictates, collaborative activities have been restricted to virtual platforms and an online creative workshop program was elaborated. »»» 

From May 19 to June 2, a group of 8 artists and cultural experts, Inuit and Dene, representing the diversity of Canada’s northern territory, participated in a sequence of consultation and creative activities, contributing to the collaborative development of the exhibition’s preliminary design and scripting.

La Boîte Rouge VIF’ team created the program, facilitated the workshops and produced a report that will enable Telus World of Science Edmonton to create an exhibit that is representative of the people who live in and experience Canada’s North.

SEEYouth – Social Innovation through Participatory Art and Design with Youth at the Margins: Solutions for Engaging and Empowering Youth with Trans-Atlantic Mirroring, lead by Satu Miettinen (University of Lapland)

This research project focuses on the societal challenges faced by marginalized youth and young adults. 

Our group of researchers from Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Finland is interested in the ways in which new knowledge and practices in social innovation can be generated through research-creation in participatory design and art to improve the well-being of these young people.

The project is based on two case studies, one on each side of the Atlantic: homeless and refugee youth in Brazil, and refugee and immigrant youth in Finland.

In Quebec, co-researchers Anne Marchand, Associate Professor at the School of Design at the University of Montreal and Jean-François Vachon, Director of Research at La Boîte Rouge VIF, are leading the “Train the Trainer” component of the project, which will ensure the transfer of various art and design workshop methodologies between the project’s various collaborators. A comprehensive tool will be developed to highlight collaborative methodologies used in the field with marginalized groups.

STARTING THIS FALL…

A production with the FNQLHSSC and EDUCALOI

This fall, La Boîte Rouge VIF is initiating a new partnership with Éducaloi in order to accompany the FNQLHSSC and their partners in the creation of a judicial information tool intended for First Nations members so that they can better understand the judicial process as well as their rights. The project aims to produce a popular education tool using orality and various audiovisual communication strategies.

Project in action ” Territoires de rencontres “

This project, funded by the Secrétariat à la jeunesse du Québec (SJQ) and the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA), will oversee 4 visits to culturally significant places that are conducive to intergenerational exchanges between First Nations elders and youth. The central objective is to engage participants in a common creative process that promotes the transfer, the documentation, conservation and transmission of their cultural heritage with a focus on training cultural ambassadors. These stays will be preceded and extended by workshops led by the team of La Boîte Rouge VIF. The first one will address democratic tools for audiovisual captation while the second workshop will lead to the creation of a permanent work of art inspired by the intergenerational encounters and the territory under the aegis of an artist mentor. The first session starts this week in Mashteuiatsh in collaboration with the Musée Amérindien de Mashteuiatsh and the artist Sophie Kurtness.

UPCOMING EVENTS…

Annual General Meeting of La Boîte Rouge VIF

Dear members, with the current healthcare situation caused by COVID-19, you will soon receive an invitation for our 2019-2020 Annual General Meeting to be held in videoconference. Exceptionally this year, it will take place in October, the date will be announced soon. Watch your email inboxes!

Call for applications for our first ever Multidisciplinary Residency for Emerging First Nations Artists

For several years now, we have been trying to set up a residency to support the professional development of emerging First Peoples artists. In order to promote the involvement of First Nations artists in the current arts network at the local, provincial and national levels, we will develop with the selected artist a personalized residency program based on his or her reality and needs. In a collaborative formula, the content and orientation of this residency will be elaborated with the selected artist. This residency will be an opportunity for the artist to be introduced to the current arts community while benefiting from the enhancement of his or her artistic expertise as well as an increased outreach. 

Training for First Nations Cultural and Intercultural Mediators in Quebec: Speaking in Public

In order to give tools to our collaborators and partners, we will soon initiate a training course related to public speaking. Given that we receive many requests related to cultural and intercultural mediation activities, we wish to offer cultural experts an opportunity to acquire specific skills in public speaking and thus facilitate ease, reduce stress and increase the effectiveness of public communication. 

We are currently working on a videoconference format that will allow our guest trainer, Ms. Renée Hudon, to share her knowledge despite the current restrictions.

We underline that this training is made possible thanks to the financial contribution of Culture Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.