Frédéric Loury from gallery sas has organized another momentous art event in Montreal. Known for organizing such large-scale events such as the Mille Femmes exhibit and the Onetop competition, Loury has now launched another art venture: Art Souterrain, an exhibition of contemporary art taking place in Montreal’s underground city.

The event is part of the Montreal High-Lights Festival and will take place during the festival’s grand finale, the Montreal All-Nighter on February 28, 2009. There will be ten exhibition spaces dotted throughout the 2.8km underground circuit stretching from the Palais de Congrès to the Complex Les Aisles. A total of 80 artists will exhibit installations, photos, videos and performance art. Nearly all of the participating artists are from Quebec, with a few international imports. Besides the participation of artists who have exhibited at galerie sas such as Francis Kerdevez and Karine Giboulo you’ll also recognize other familiar names who have shown in the Belgo, for example Isabelle Hayeur (Pierre François Ouellette Art Contemporain) and Jannick Deslauriers (Galerie Lilian Rodriguez).
Transforming a prosaic, commercial space into massive art gallery is a stupendous idea, and will do a great deal to familiarize “ordinary” Montrealers with contemporary art.

Art Souterrain
In the tunnels and shopping centres from Palais de Congrès to Complexe Les Aisles
80 artists
during the Montreal All-Nighter
February 28, 2009, 6:00pm – March 1, 2009, 5:00pm
www.montrealenluniere.com