The blank page, reinvention, evolution, making a stand, changing the world, shaping a new one...
An urban intervention by ATSA!
As the voice for the Exposition intercollégiale d’arts plastiques* of the Réseau intercollégial des activités socioculturelles du Québec (RIASQ), on May 7th, 2011, at 1 p.m., in front the Cégep du Vieux Montréal, located at 255 Ontario E., ATSA unveiled PEUPLE DEBOUT.
For over a year, ATSA's artists had bandied about the words “Peuple debout” as a working title for some yet-to-be-determined project. This project began to materialize and take the form of an urban intervention when the RIASQ invited them to be the spokespersons for the Exposition intercollégiale d’arts plastiques, held May 2 through 8, 2011 at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal. And when La Capitale du Mont-Royal offered to supply them with hundreds of real estate signs slated for recycling, they were well on their way! And so the work consisted of a huge banner with the title PEUPLES DEBOUT, surrounded by hundreds of militant placards planted in the ground and on which the young people expressed, in the manner of the Automatistes, with a wink to the Refus global, their hopes for a new world to be created.
PEUPLES DEBOUT uses the creative environment of the Exposition intercollégiale to convey this message: to not be afraid of the blank page, to not be afraid of transforming the world using the modern tools at our disposal, just as the artists of the Refus global, of the Révolution tranquille and of the Arab Spring were not afraid.
The time has come to rejuvenate the political apparatus and to dare bring forth the changes that will truly shake us out of a colonial mindset: imposing stringent environmental regulations on industry; introducing an equitable royalty scheme for the exploitation of our natural resources, that actually profits us; truly supporting and advancing organic farming, public transport, clean and renewable energy, and composting; improving the quality of education and health care and the infrastructures of public institutions so that a private system in either field is no longer needed; investing in arts and culture with a share of the budget that exceeds 1%. The time has come for plenty of other things too—including action beyond words! Consider this blank page an incentive to fill it in with a new world, to have the courage to cast aside today's shackles and dare to take action: PEUPLES DEBOUT!
The Exposition intercollégiale d’arts plastiques du Québec is hosted alternately by the member colleges of the RIASQ and brings together over 100 works by youth from across Québec, made using diverse techniques. While these students can naturally display their works in their respective colleges, the exposure provided by the Exposition intercollégiale d'arts plastiques assists them further in their advancement, getting them to appreciate their talent while seeing what is being done elsewhere. They also benefit from the presence of professional artists during a full day of workshops, seminars, performances, and museum or gallery outings.
Lire le communiqué du RIASQ (pdf)/in french
Diaporama
