The Musée d’art de Joliette (MAJ) invites the public to react artistically to a theme and partake in Quarantined Museum, a virtual exhibition created by the museum’s team.
Each week, the museum team and special guests share new perspectives, insights and live discussions about the ongoing theme to inform the community as it creates original works of art.
“Reaching out to the community and connecting through arts has always been at the heart of everything we do,” said Jean-François Bélisle, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the MAJ. “I believe those connections have become even more essential today.”
A different theme is provided via a dedicated post on the blog every Thursday. The artistic responses can take various forms (photo, video, drawing, engraving, painting, sculpture, installation, etc.) and even borrow from literature, as long as they are related to the visual arts and to the theme of the week. All submissions must be sent in by the following Wednesday, at noon.
“The feedback I’ve received so far seems to indicate that museums are making a real difference in people’s confined lives, which is really exciting,” said Bélisle. “In our case, we developed the project to build on our existing DNA, which involves building exhibition programming seasons around issues that we think are important and relevant to the society we live in. Quarantined Museum works the same way. Art and politics, identity, and the environment are just a few of the themes we’ve tackled in the past six weeks of the project.”
Quarantined Museum was an early partner on the Field Trip project that was launched by Contemporary Calgary. As such, it is now fully bilingual and designed to be accessible to all Canadian citizens, whatever their level of artistic proficiency.
The MAJ’s educational department is presently producing didactic programs to make Quarantined Museum even more accessible for under accessed communities such as elementary school students and retirement homes residents. “These communities have been greatly affected by the present crisis and we want the Museum to help as it can,” said Bélisle.
Upcoming activity
Thursday, May 14, 2020 – 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
Live discussion about Joseph Tisiga (Sobey Art Award Winner – 2020)
With Dr. Curtis Collins (Director & Chief Curator, Audain Art Museum) and Jean-François Bélisle (Executive Director and Chief Curator, Musée d’art de Joliette)
Live on https://www.facebook.com/museedartdejoliette
In response to the upcoming Quarantined Museum theme “Art and technology”
Special project
A selection of Adad Hannah’s recent proiect Social Distancing Portraits is featured on the platform, to reinforce the national discussion.