The Prefect of the MRC and Mayor of Rosemère, Mr. Eric Westram, and the President of the Culture and Heritage Action Table and Mayor of Boisbriand, Ms. Christine Beaudette, have proudly announced the success of the cultural project “The Wisdom of Books.” As the exhibition tour concludes for this artwork, members of the MRC Council and artist Suzanne FerlandL presented in a press conference the future steps for this artistic project.
The public sculpture has captured the community’s heart over the past few months as it was displayed in rotation across the various municipal libraries of the MRC. This original creation by Suzanne FerlandL, a multidisciplinary artist renowned in the Laurentians and internationally, was conceived from books that were removed from the shelves of the seven MRC libraries. Designed to be divided into seven parts at the end of its exhibition tour, the artwork symbolizes the unity and diversity of the seven cities.
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“The Wisdom of Books” consists of two columns of books, mounted on a steel base, rising to 203 centimeters and 152 centimeters in height. These columns, which gather over 140 discarded books, offer a fascinating spectacle where sculpted characters climb piles of books. With its playful aspect and intricate details, the piece offers an experience that invites viewers of all ages to reflect and discover.
The artist invites us to dive into the enchanting universe of her creation, where every detail and every sculpted character tells a captivating story. This creation, aimed at a broad audience, sparks curiosity in children and stimulates reflection in adults. Children and parents, art enthusiasts and novices, occasional readers and bibliophiles, students and teachers alike will be enchanted by this unique cultural experience.
“This project captivated me from the start. It allowed me to incorporate my artistic approach using the book as material. The book, in my work, is a source of inspiration and fragments of memory,” emphasized artist Suzanne FerlandL.
The exhibition tour of “The Wisdom of Books” traveled through the seven municipal libraries within the MRC of Thérèse-De Blainville from November 2023 to May 2024. At each stop, cultural mediation activities, led by the artist herself, allowed citizens to contribute to creating a collective memory book for each city, adding a participatory dimension to this unique project. Participants had the opportunity to explore linocut, a playful and creative artistic technique for reproducing patterns, with the artist. Nearly a hundred students, citizens, and MRC employees had the pleasure of participating in one or another of the cultural mediation activities.
Now that the tour has ended, the artwork will take root in each municipal library of the MRC, where it will be divided into seven distinct parts, each crowned with its own memory book, reflecting both the unique character and the plurality of the MRC of Thérèse-De Blainville.
A video capsule is also being produced, offering citizens an in-depth look at Ms. FerlandL’s artistic process and the behind-the-scenes creation of this work. This video will accompany the parts of the artwork installed in each library, allowing citizens to discover the work from another perspective.
“I would like to reiterate our MRC’s unwavering commitment and its constituent cities to support and promote culture in all its forms. We will continue to work tirelessly to enhance our region’s cultural vitality and to offer all our citizens access to a rich, diverse, and inspiring culture,” affirmed MRC Prefect and Mayor of Rosemère, Eric Westram.
“This artistic project perfectly embodies the essence of the MRC, where the creativity and individuality of our seven cities come together to create something truly extraordinary. I invite you all to visit our municipal libraries to discover, through this masterful work, the richness and diversity of our cultural heritage,” said the President of the Culture and Heritage Action Table and Mayor of Boisbriand, Christine Beaudette.
“The Wisdom of Books” and the exhibition tour are realized thanks to the financial support of the Quebec government and the MRC of Thérèse-De Blainville under the 2021-2023 Cultural Development Agreement, in collaboration with the MRC’s cities.
