To mark the 50th anniversary of Expo 67, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is presenting In Search of Expo 67, a major exhibition of new works by contemporary Québec and Canadian artists, inspired by Expo 67.
the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) is proudly presenting the exhibition In Search of Expo 67, a contemporary artistic exploration of a great moment in our history. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Montreal World’s Fair and In Search of Expo 67 brings a brand-new and original perspective to the big issues it addressed. The exhibition consists of 19 works by contemporary Quebec and Canadian artists, including 16 new works. Architecture, sound art, visual art, film and music are the poles around which this creative endeavour turns. Driven by committed artistic and archival research, the artworks highlight the exceptional creative liberty given to the artists, architects, filmmakers and designers who took part in the original exhibition, their experimentation with state-of-the-art technology and the diverse nature of their creations. The exhibition is part of the official program celebrating the 375th anniversary of Montreal and Expo 67 – 50 Years Later.
Even though the Quebec and Canadian artists selected to bring Expo 67 into the present were not even born when the original event occurred, visitors who did experience it will be delighted to find the same excitement they recall, a fever that young people of today will surely relate to. The current exhibition has a similar inventiveness and drive to innovate in every area of life; it also reflects on the social, political and cultural legacy of Expo 67 and, occasionally, offers a critique of some of its assumptions. The exhibition thus has three components: new works, recreations of original works with today’s technology, and activation of archival materials.