October 23, 2023
Network Spotlight: Grantham Foundation

This month, we had the privilege to speak with Félix Denis, Communications Manager at the Grantham Foundation. Félix spoke to us about the many ways in which the Foundation taps the potential of art to bring people together around a common cause: protecting the environment. Read below to learn more about the Foundation’s exhibitions, their work with youth and seniors and their new exhibition Habiter le lieu.

What led to the creation of the Grantham Foundation for Art and the Environment? What’s its purpose?

The Grantham Foundation for Art and the Environment was born out of a desire to help and support artists, architects and researchers whose practice raises the many issues related to the environment. Both a place of residence and a dissemination hub, the Foundation hosts several exhibitions, artists and researchers each year. Located in the Centre-du-Québec region, the Foundation values collaboration with the many diverse communities that gravitate around it. Every year, the Les jeunes s’exposent exhibition showcases the artistic work of several hundred young people from the region. The Foundation also welcomes several groups of seniors who come to visit its exhibitions and discuss contemporary issues affecting society. At the Foundation, we believe that art has the potential to bring people together around a cause that touches us all: protecting the environment.

Who is this network for, and what’s the best way to get involved?

For the Foundation, it’s important that everyone feels comfortable participating in our activities. We’re always keen to hear about new collaborations at local, national and international levels.

The best way to support the Foundation is to take part in its activities: exhibitions, conferences and other special projects. The Foundation often organizes activities outside its walls to reach out to the public. For example, as part of its most recent exhibition, it presented a series of performances in a Drummondville park. Designed around a temporary architectural installation created especially for the occasion, the program brought together local artists from various artistic disciplines. Each of these activities is an ideal opportunity to start crucial discussions on the importance of the environment. To support the Foundation’s activities, donations are always welcome.

Is there something exciting coming up that you’d like to share with the SCALE network?

From early September to November 5th, the Foundation will be hosting the exhibition Habiter le lieu, by architect Pierre Thibault and curated by Lesley Johnstone. This exhibition transports us into the world of Pierre Thibault, whose architectural practice judiciously combines architecture and landscape. In a forward-looking spirit, the curator and architect have also invited graduates of Université Laval’s School of Architecture to explore the Saint-Edmond-de-Grantham site and present their vision of future architecture outside the pavilion. This initiative is a fine example of how we can collaborate with the communities around the Foundation. The exhibition is accompanied by a publication, Cahier 07, in which several authors discuss issues surrounding human habitat, architecture and the environment.

website : fondationgrantham.org