New Exhibition Features 16 Local Francophone/Francophile Artists
By Carol Cooper
There are many ways to get the creative juices flowing. And this year, the organizers of La Francophonie dans tous ses états (The Francophonie in All Its States) project came up with a unique twist. Along with artist collective members having the opportunity to showcase their most recent works of art, they were given a challenge: take one small wooden box and consider or be inspired by a French-language expression, “ferme ta boîte” (“close your box”). Artists of the collective were given free rein to decorate their small wooden box accordingly.
La Francophonie dans tous ses états was started in 2018 by two artistic individuals from France who immigrated to Canada and reside in Thunder Bay, Céline Mundinger and Sébastien Hardy. In 2019 the project transferred to the umbrella of Le club culturel francophone de Thunder Bay and they are now excited to be presenting its sixth edition. The word “francophonie” refers to people who share a common language: French. And just as the English language has its diverse dialects and accents, cultures, heritage, and traditions, so does French. It’s this diversity that is being highlighted with this project. The club has reached out to a number of multi-disciplinary local artists from different backgrounds, with different cultural traditions and ancestral heritages, to be part of a unique artistic collective. Together, they speak an enriched diverse French, understood by all.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, Le club culturel francophone de Thunder Bay is pleased to present this project thanks to the support and funding from the Ontario Arts Council. The exhibition will feature 16 local Francophone/Francophile artists and will be hosted at Definitely Superior Art Gallery on Cumberland Street North from June 24 to July 23, with a gala reception evening on June 24 at 7 pm. As an added bonus, the organizers are pleased to have collaborated with the Conseil scolaire catholique des Aurores boréales for this project. A selection of students’ works from some of the schools will be showcased as part of the exhibition.
For more information visit ccftb.ca.
