Valerie Lamontagne
www.mobilgaze.com/valerie
is a Montreal-based artist, freelance art critic and curator. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (1993) and Masters of Fine Arts (2000) from Concordia University in Montreal (Canada) where she presently teaches in the Digital Imaging and Sound Program.
Through the use of digital technologies (web, video, and photography) and performance, Ms. Lamontagne’s work explores performativity and the gaze as articulated through the apparatus of the lens . Her Advice Bunny performance has been featured across Canada at: Plein Sud (Longueuil, 2000); Hamilton Artists Inc. (Hamilton, 2000); Pitt Gallery (Vancouver, 1999); and the Concordia University Bourget Gallery (Montreal, 1999) and in New York as part of A Day in the Park organized by May Day Productions (New York, 1998). Her exhibition/performance The Snow Flake Queen was presented at: at Neutral Ground (Regina, 2003); Forest City Gallery (London, Ontario, 2002); Truck Gallery (Calgary, 2001); in a group show entitled Circus Deviations presented at the Torre de los Vientos (Mexico City, 2001). Other group shows include: Vital Signs at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery (Montreal, 2000); Compulsion at the Saidye Bronfman Center for the Arts (Montreal, 1999); 48 Rooms/48 Hours in an abandoned building (Montreal, 1999).; A solo performance entitled Mermaid of the Future was presented in the context of Visualeyez, organized by Latitude53 (Edmonton, 2001); and Treatment Centre (done in collaboration with Kelly Lynne Wood) at the Concordia University VAV Gallery (Montreal, 2001). Her most recent web projects include: a live webcast performance of The Advice Bunny (www.mobilegaze.com/advicebunny) presented at the Biennale Internazionale Arte Giovane (www.bigtorino.net/bigguest/) in Italy (Torino, 2002); and Better Homes (www.studioxx.org/sciencefair) presented within the context of the Science Fair exhibition at Studio XX (Montreal, 2002). Upcoming performances / exhibitions include a photo / performance project entitled Becoming Balthus presented at Artspace (Peterborough, 2003); an Advice Bunny broadcast television event performance at Open Space (Victoria, 2003); and a new online performance, Sister Valerie, presented at La Chambre Blanche (Quebec City, 2003).
Ms. Lamontagne regularly writes about new media and performance in publications such as: MobileGaze, Parachute, Archee, Rhizome and the Magazine Electronique du CIAC. She has curated projects including: A laisser et a prendre, a solo exhibition of Irit Batsry’s work, Oboro Gallery (Montreal, 1997); Hybrid Cultures works from Mexico City and Montreal, Oboro Gallery (Montreal, 1997); Compact Abundance: Kelly Mark and Shelley Low, Articule Gallery (Montreal, 1996); and The Space Between II, Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts (Montreal, 1995). Past web art curatorial projects include Maid in Cyberspace Web Festival (www.studioxx.org) at Studio XX (Montreal, 2000); Location/Dislocation (www.deplacement.qc.ca) a net.art exhibition co-curated with Sylvie Parent presented at the New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York, 2001); Matter+Memory (www.mobilegaze.com/m+m) presented with MobileGaze (Montreal, 2002); Ellipse (www.mdq.org/ellipse) at the Musee du Quebec (Quebec City, 2002). Upcoming web exhibition include
Ms. Lamontagne has received numerous awards and grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade as an artist as well as curator.
Valerie Lamontagne participates in