Published by Press release
From Tuesday, August 24 to Sunday, September 5, more than 250 artists will offer around one hundred performances and fifty artworks and installations, most of them never seen before, to the Montréal public and to spectators from across the world through the virtual.mutek.org platform. Today, the last part of the festival’s 22nd edition is revealed: the free program that will animate the streets and parks of Montréal and several cultural spaces—the Experience series on the Parterre du Quartier des spectacles and a hybrid exhibition, which will launch the festivities a few days early on Friday, August 20 at 8pm at the Society for Arts and Technology.
Experience Series
From Tuesday August 24 to Sunday August 29
Parterre du Quartier des spectacles – Free
This edition marks the return of the Expérience series, presented on an outdoor stage from August 24 to 29. Celebrating the plurality of electronic music, the series will be accessible free of charge with a simple on-site registration that respects health measures. On the program is a joyful and festive outdoor celebration that includes 25 live performances and DJ sets that explore the nuances of electronic music: from ambient with Echönymphia and YlangYlang to techno with Debbie Doe and OJPB, and house with G L O W Z I and Gene Tellem.
Instruments and special guests will animate several performances: Poirier, accompanied by musicians for a hybrid set of his latest album, MAYSUN, will be in duo with his drums, as well as the improvisation-loving sextet, Presqu’île.
Along with loyal Festival artists such as Claire & Alicia Hush and vigliensoni, several emerging talents from local artistic communities, such as Bénédicte, Ellxandra, and RONY—noticed by none other than Tim Hecker—will bring an inspiring breath of fresh air to energize the last days of summer.
Finally, to conclude each evening, an artist from the indoor programming will offer a DJ set of his/her/their best productions and original compositions: Montrealers Ouri, Martyn Bootyspoon and Jump Source (Priori & Patrick Holland) will be joined by Toronto’s Ciel and Vancouver’s Yu Su.
Bénédicte CA/QC Billy Dalessandro US/QC Ciel CN/CA Claire & Alicia Hush CA/QC Debbie Doe LB/QC Echönymphia CA/QC+CN/QC Ellxandra CA/QC Gene Tellem CA/QC G L O W Z I CA/QC Jump Source CA/QC (oum CA/QC Lyndsie Alguire CA Martyn Bootyspoon CA/QC MAYSUN CA/QC NPNP CA/QC OJBP FR/QC Ouri FR/QC Poirier CA/QC Presqu’île CA/QC RONY HT/QC Softmatter RU/QC V.ictor CA/QC vigliensoni CL/QC Yu Su CA
In order to extend the journey of discovery through live performances—almost all of which are world premieres—tickets are still on sale for the evenings at the Place des Arts’ Cinquième Salle, at MTELUS and at the Society for Arts and Technology. All information on the artists and performances of the 22nd edition is available at montreal.mutek.org.
MUTEK Exhibition
From Friday, August 20 to Sunday, September 5
6 locations across Montréal – Free
Just like this edition of MUTEK, the festival’s exhibition component will be hybrid—both offline and online. In addition to Virtual Wonders, which will be offered virtually through the virtual.mutek.org digital platform, Montrealers wishing to experience artworks can do so thanks to the free urban exhibition of the 22nd edition.
Taking place in several downtown locations from August 20 to September 5, this year’s show is of an unprecedented scope. Indeed, the exhibition will be enriched by a selection of digital art installations presented as part of the special Digital Detox project, supported by the City of Montréal and the Canada Council for the Arts. The theme of digital detoxification will be explored in a critical way and from different angles through the multiple artworks that make up the program. In total, 27 interactive, audiovisual, mixed reality, virtual and augmented reality digital works by local and international artists will be presented in both outdoor and indoor settings.
At the Society for Arts and Technology, the 14 projects presented push the boundaries of technology, appropriating it to create stunning and immersive pieces that are sure to impress and awaken a critical mind.
A mysterious and resolutely underground atmosphere reminiscent of 80’s video game arcades will reign in the Livart‘s basement exhibition room with 6 sound, robotic, and light works that use obsolete or DIY technologies and that explore questions of identity, marginality, and the end of the world.
As part of the special Digital Detox project, MUTEK and the Goethe-Institut will present The Glass Room, a public education and exhibition project by Berlin collective Tactical Tech. The in situ installation Visions du monde numérique by Montréal artist Gilles Tarabiscuité will take place under the skylight of the Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme at Place des Arts, echoing its angular modernist architecture.
Outside, ephemeral works and installations will unfold in the Quartier des spectacles. Anna Eyler and Nicolas Lapointe will circulate with the work D.o.t.t.d., taking on the appearance of a hot dog cart, while artist Maxime Damecour will perform an improvised ambulatory mapping intervention using his free software Freeliner and the mobile projection device map_mov. Finally, the sound installation Ecological Ambisonic Recordings by James Benjamin will offer a soothing immersion in the heart of the rainforest in the Quartier des spectacles.
Last but not least, MUTEK and Suoni Per Il Popolo will once again join forces to present the fruit of a collaboration between Akousma and Audiotopie: Interstices, a sound installation by Léa Boudreau and Nancy Tobin at Parc Lahaie. Held over three days, the work will integrate random processes of probabilities that favor its autonomy and renewal over the hours.
Akousma + Audiotopie présentent Léa Boudreau et Nancy Tobin CA/QC Anna Eyler & Nicolas Lapointe CA/QC Aude Guivarc’h CA/QC Bianca Shonee Arroyo-Kreimes CR/QC Cinzia Campolese IT/QC Delphine Kim Thériault De Carufel CA/QC Élisabeth Picard CA/QC Francois Knoetze & Amy Louise Wilson (Lo-Def Film Factory) ZA François Quévillon CA/QC Gilles Tarabiscuité CA/QC Ida Toninato & Claude Bastien (Trebuchet) CA/QC James Benjamin CA/QC Jean-Pierre Gauthier CA/QC Jeremy Rotsztain CA/US Josée Brouillard CA/QC Marshmallow Laser Feast UK Maxime Corbeil-Perron CA/QC Maxime Damecour CA/QC Olivia-Faye Lathuillière CA/QC Pierre Zandrowicz & Ferdinand Dervieux FR Sabrina Ratté & Guillaume Arseneault QC/FR+CA/QC Sahar Homani IR/QC+DE Sammy Lee & M. J. Harding CA+KR/UK+UK Stéphanie Morissette CA/QC Tactical Tech DE Xuan Ye CN/CA Ying Gao CA/QC
MUTEK Forum, the professional component of the Festival that stimulates creative minds and encourages business opportunities
In addition to the performances and exhibitions, MUTEK Forum will bring together more than 140 speakers and a network of 700 experts from the music and creative industries from August 24 to September 2 in a dedicated virtual platform. The discounted rate is applicable on all three passports until Monday, August 16, 23:59 EST. Get more information on the 60+ activities and the marketplace by clicking here.
The skies are ready, so is MUTEK
In 2021, we are proud to present an exceptional offer, unprecedented in the Festival’s history. MUTEK is partnering up with Air Canada as official transporter, to offer our Canadian and American community a unique experience in these times of reopening. Enjoy 15% off your flight to Montréal and 50% off festival tickets. More info: montreal.mutek.org/en/tourisme.
MUTEK would like to thank its partners, who play a key role in the maintenance and development of its activities, and have provided particular support towards the production of the Festival and the Forum.
The Government of Québec, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the ministère du Tourisme du Québec, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine du gouvernement du Québec, the ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the City of Montréal, FACTOR and Canada’s private radio broadcasters, the Department of Canadian Heritage, Musicaction, the British Council, the Consulat général de France à Québec, the Goethe-Institut, Tourisme Montréal, Solotech, Meyer Sound, Soundworks, BeatConnect, Zú, Place des Arts, Société des arts technologiques, Livart, Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles, Air Canada, Panasonic, Transmission, Transquébec, Akufen, Urbania, Folklore, Click & Mortar, Suoni per il Popolo, Akousma, and Audiotopie.