Located in the heart of the Place des Spectacles, the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal opens its 2015 program with an internationally renowned guest: the French artist Sophie Calle. After already touring France, Asia and Turkey, the exhibition Pour la dernière fois et pour la première fois (“For the last and first time”) brings together two projects.
La Dernière Image occupies the first room in the museum. Shot in 2010 in Istanbul, and reminiscent of one of Calle’s other works from 25 years ago, Les Aveugles, it follows two blind subjects and records their testimony, leading to a series of powerful portraits and texts where the subjects share the last visual memory they have before losing their sight permanently.
In the second room, the visitor is plunged into imagery, lulled by the sound of waves, not knowing which screen to look at first. In the darkness, we follow the waves, looking closely at these citizens of Istanbul whom Calle had taken to see the ocean for the very first time, in 2011. In this steady shot, she films them from behind, as if to respect their first encounter with the element, “to see with them and feel their emotions through their movements and breathing.” Then, slowly, they turn around and their expression is revealed, allowing the viewer to share their emotions. We see the ocean on digital film exuding poetry and beauty.
Calle herself visited Montreal for the occasion, and those lucky enough to get a seat attended a conference prior to the opening.
https://vimeo.com/119286751
EXHIBITION
Sophie Calle
Pour la dernière et pour la première fois
From February 5th to May 10th, 2015
Curator : Josée Belisle / MAC.
Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal
185 rue ste-catherine ouest
Montréal
Canada
