The work La danse des mains is a citizen co-creation project, produced by the artist Tina Marais as part of the program Cultural Bridges from one shore to the other, hosted by the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) and its partners, Culture Montréal, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), the Société de la Place des Arts, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Arts and Culture Council (CACVS) and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

“The dance of the hands” is presented here as part of the CACVS touring program. This program allows the resumption of works while diversifying their audience and enriching the cultural life of citizens of different municipalities of the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“As an immigrant from South Africa, upon my arrival in Quebec and during my first French course, I felt for the first time in my life what the feeling of being deaf is. Not that I couldn't hear, but I didn't understand anything I heard. It's a very isolating and frightening feeling. I knew that people in my community only spoke French, and out of respect for the country that welcomed me, I did my best to try. What I realized during this period of “linguistic deafness” is the rapidity with which our other senses adapt to observe in more detail the body of the person who is speaking to us, their eyes, their facial expression, the dancing of the hands in the middle of the conversation. I realized that as human beings, we are all so interconnected that if we truly want to communicate and understand each  other, we find a way to make ourselves understood. Since then, I have witnessed so many conversations, which, limited by our linguistic deafness have become real dances of body language”

The sculptural work was created with the participation of students from Collège Gérald-Godin, adult students in francization, special education students from the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board and the public who frequent the Salle Pauline-Julien. Participants created abstract shapes reminiscent of the shape of hands. The shapes were then covered with fine cotton and paper soaked in glue. Once dry, they were used to cover the sculptural form, adding texture and creating movement.

This project is intended to be a metaphor for how our diverse cultural heritage is infinite and how our lives are connected and woven together. This is also a simple example of sharing artistic experiences and using textile art projects in the community to bring people of different backgrounds together; a celebration of diversity. The work will be a eulogy of the dance of the hands which is an integral part of human expression.

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This work, created from ribbons of fabric linked together to represent the connection between citizens and culture, was designed and created by multidisciplinary artist Tina Marais. From mid-August to September 30, the City’s Arts and Culture Department invited citizens and artists to join the “I’m attached to culture!” movement. » by signing their names on colorful strips of fabric. More than 1,500 signed ribbons were collected and attached to the work.

The knot in the center of the sculpture, dressed in shades of red, represents our connection to culture. It is the heart of the work, the pulse of our dynamic and creative community. All around are citizens and artists, proud of their differences and united by their participation in the cultural activities that take place there.

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On April 25, 2019, at the Grand Théâtre of the Cité-des-Jeunes secondary school, the artist Tina Struthers presented Le Flux de l'or bleu, a project carried out as part of the Montérégie Territorial Partnership Program. West of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) and the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges. The artist unveiled the mural of collective works created by the visual arts students as well as the works that she created herself. This project of creation, production and influence in fine crafts (textile arts) has enabled the production of a new series of works on a large scale. Inspired by our region's precious freshwater resource, these works are primarily constructed from reclaimed denim. These works explore the fragility of our region’s precious freshwater resources. Textured abstract works that reflect the movement and flow of water. This work calls into question our use of fresh water and the future of this resource. Nearly 300 students created works related to this project carried out in close collaboration with Ms. Nancy Lépine, a visual arts teacher, and her colleagues, Ms. Marie-Eve Grenier and Ms. Julie Plante Filiatrault. The creative process included exploring the use of textile as a means of texture relief and collage.

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When Covid struck in March 2020... our lives and artistic projects came to a halt, thumbeling along to adapt and reconstruct, but also from a profound need to make sense of the sanitary crisis, of illness, loss and trauma...we dreamt of the possibility to create a glimmer of hope. and a moment of deep silence and introspection to contemplate the fragility of humanity. Conjuring up images and sounds interwoven with movement and the physical expression of the ever changing emotional process of healing, the project Ubuntu was born in the summer of 2020.

It was a challenging and grueling process, stretching us beyond what we initially imagined. It was also a artistic collaboration, across disciplines time and distance. Without the precious support of all our partners we would not be able to leave this trace of this time that we are all living through.

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Thank you to Acess culture and C-gep saint laurent for the opportunity to start with an intense week of research creation. To Place des arts for rehearsal space, To the Canada Council of the Arts for the support in the research and creation of the textile artworks. To L'actuel for the recuperation of materials, and Madame Nicholes for the support to complete the editing of the videos. Thank you to Jaden Schols for the filming and to all the musicians and dancers that invested their artistic voices. 

Thank you to Josiane Farand for the visual documentation and adding her unique artistic voice to the creation of digital artworks, as well as Be-green studios for the creation of the videos. And to the ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion for the opportunity to exhibit and launch the project at the maison Félix Leclerc.

 

Ubuntu, I am because we are.

The five movements:

- Shock: (interpreted by Delia Clark-Bautista) First state of mind when crisis strikes.Great confusion and fear sets in through the constant news stream.

- Nourish: (interpreted by Karla Étienne) A return to primal self-preservation instincts in an effort to bring something constructive to an incomprehensible situation. The act of taking refuge in repetition, routine and simplicity.

-Mourning: (interpreted by Maria-Anne Mavrokefalos) Taking stock of all that will no longer be, of the deaths, of the collateral damage, of the invisible wounds of delayed bereavement... These scars will stay between us for a long time.

- Surrender: (interpreted by Kevin ‘Sonik’ Desriveaux) After going through so many obstacles and suffering, surrendering to circumstances allows for letting go and the experience of an expanded consciousness.

-Victory: The act of reconnecting with one’s individual power in order to instigate change and to experience personal victory. In all awareness of the tragedy, and in spite of it, occurs a collective celebration of life, rebirth and metamorphosis.

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Le Rassemblement is a work created by artists Monica Brinkman and Tina Marais, in collaboration with numerous community organizations and associations aimed at improving living conditions for the citizens of Vaudreuil-Dorion, as part of the 25th anniversary of the city's merger. Over the course of 20 workshops, some 385 participants created a small work that forms part of this large-scale permanent installation. Monica Binkman and Tina Marais drew their inspiration from the expression "to pull the blanket back from its edge". They wanted to do the opposite, creating a huge quilt to emphasize the sense of welcome at the heart of the community, and that everyone feels welcome under the same blanket.
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Tina Marais and Monica Brinkman, winners of the Artist in the Community 2021 award, for their project Le Rassemblement. This award aims to shine a light on the commitment of artists, partners in local development, in the public space. The award was virtually unveiled in a video shared by the Les Arts et la Ville network.

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Sculptural work in stainless steel and lexan, created by Tina Marais in 2020.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the town of Sainte-Catherine is implementing a major collective public art project to give citizens the chance to express their thoughts and feelings about the health crisis. Audio testimonials are also included.
This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec under the Entente de développement culturel. Winner of the Prix des Arts et de la ville en 2023.

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• Cultural mediation project :

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Work created by artist Tina Marais and over 300 participants as part of cultural mediation workshops referencing the UCLG - City of Mexico - Culture 21 International Prize won by the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion in 2016.
The work is composed of five wings representing different parts of the world, symbols of movement, migration and new adventures. The sampling of a variety of traditional and ethnic fabrics, reproduced on a large scale on the wings, highlights and highlights our differences.


• Participating groups :

Le Cercle de Fermières Vaudreuil, la Librairie espagnole, le Zèbre Rouge, les visiteurs de la bibliothèque, Le chœur togolais, la résidence Manoir des Îles, francisation classes from école secondaire de la Cité-des-Jeunes and young people from école Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Government of Quebec and the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion as part of the 2017-2020 Cultural Development Agreement.

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A new installation appeared on benches in Pincourt’s Bellevue Park.

This artwork is the result of a town committee initiative to establish the “Pincourt, on sème (s’aime?) ensemble” award, which aims to highlight efforts by citizens or groups in the community who wish to contribute to greater social solidarity.

This bench represents social inclusion and the names of future contest winners will be engraved on it.The installation was created by artist Tina Marais (Struthers),Town officials noted this cultural mediation was an opportunity for citizens to express their desires and to take their place, equally, in our community.

Quebec’s Culture Ministry provided a grant for this project.