FROM WASTE TO ARTWORK, HOW DO WE RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT? THE BIOSPHÈRE PRESENTS TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 9, 2023 /CNW/ - Espace pour la vie is pleased to announce the unveiling of two new exhibitions at the Biosphère starting on November 25. Weaving the Ocean: In Ari Bayuaji's Studio invites you to the heart of an installation never seen before. Meanwhile, Zer0. The arts at the heart of ecological transformation presents a group exhibit aimed at using art to raise public awareness with regard to environmentally responsible changes. The Biosphère is also launching Family Saturday as a way of introducing children between 6 and 12 to the museum's various activities from a different perspective. Visitors will have access to activities where science, art and citizen participation come together in a unique way.

Weaving the Ocean is a project initiated by the artist Ari Bayuaji in 2020 in Bali when borders closed as a result of COVID-19. Observing the economic impact of the halt of tourism as well as the environmental pollution destroying beaches there, he set himself the task of recovering plastic cordages found on the shorelines and in the mangrove forests of Bali in order to turn them into textile art, in collaboration with the local community. With this project, the artist is tackling urgent environmental and social issues: pollution of the oceans and destruction of marine resources; the natural beauty of the island and its attractiveness for tourists. Inspired by the Balinese philosophy that seeks a balance of energies, the approach adopted by Ari Bayuaji endeavors to transform "negative" into "positive."

For his exhibit at the Biosphère, the artist, who divides his time between Bali and Montréal, invites us into a reproduction of his Balinese workspace. A true foray in his world, one that features the materials and objects that surround him: colorful ropes, evocative tapestries, wooden sculptures, Balinese furniture, statuettes, salvaged materials... Ari Bayuaji recounts the creation of a vibrant and active community around this project, the use of traditional weaving techniques, the recovery of those cordages ? and all of it in the common goal of preserving the environment and turning waste into works of art.

Weaving the Ocean is thus the result of the effort and ingenuity of a community, as well as a tribute to the rich textile traditions of Indonesia and the central role played by the sea in the culture of that archipelago.

The Weaving the Ocean project was developed with support from the Canada Council's Explore and Create program.

November 25, 2023, to September 8, 2024

Presented in the framework of a huge research project, the exhibition Zer0 brings together ten artists from different disciplines. The artists were invited to find inspiration in the results of a study on the transition towards zero waste led by Polytechnique Montréal and Équiterre, and their challenge was to transform the scientific data into works of art in order to raising citizens' awareness of environmentally responsible changes.

With this initiative, the curators for the exhibit, professors Virginie Francoeur and Sophie Bernard, sought above all to demonstrate that art can play a role that fosters eco-responsible behavior. The public is thus invited to participate actively by responding to a survey that will measure the impact of the arts on their own behavior. The Biosphère is the ideal spot for this discussion among scientists, artists and citizens to take shape!

Artists: Martin Beauregard, Jean Désy, Marie-Chloé Duval, Virginie Francoeur, Jason Gillingham, Annie Groovie, Théâtre I.N.K., Rodney Saint-Éloi, Studio Ascètes and Bernard Voyer.

Curators: Virginie Francoeur and Sophie Bernard, professors at Polytechnique Montréal

This exhibition was made possible thanks to the contribution of Polytechnique Montréal, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Circular Economy Research Network, the Fonds de recherche du Québec, Équiterre, the Fondation et Alumni de Polytechnique Montréal, the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en opérationnalisation du développement durable, Mirari, Koze Productions and Kashiba Studio.

November 25, 2023, to April 7, 2024

To learn more: espacepourlavie.ca

Digital press kit consisting of:

• The biography of Ari Bayuaji
• The information sheet including the detailed presentation of the project
• The visuals

SOURCE Espace pour la vie Montreal