The winter garden 2020

The first edition of The Winter Garden was held from February 7 to March 9, 2020. From Place d’Youville to the Old Port, six artistic stops featured works by Mathieu Labrecque, Estée Preda, Pierre&Marie, Élise Simard, Lei Lei, and Diane Obomsawin.

Illustrations variées by Mathieu Labrecque

Created between 2017 and 2020, Mathieu Labrecque’s works recall the forms and colors of classic animated films. They unfold in series where each piece often derives from another, borrowing and transforming motifs. Combining plants, animals, objects, and human figures, these images form improbable yet captivating assemblies, inviting viewers to imagine the origins and adventures of the characters depicted.

© Mathieu Labrecque. Photographs, Place D’Youville. Photo: Renaud Philippe

Illustrations variées by Estée Preda

Inspired by fairy tales and folklore, Estée Preda’s works gather half-human, half-animal figures and nature into poetic compositions. Illustrating both universal figures from folklore and original fantastic creations, the artist encourages viewers to imagine the stories behind each character. Animals, figures, and nature unite to create hypnotic dreamlike images in a renewed symbolism.

© Estée Preda. Photographs, Place D’Youville.

Vertiges et autres douceurs by Pierre&Marie

Standing out in its surroundings, a glittering plush-like heart hangs from a tree, evoking the poetry hidden in everyday life. Pierre&Marie’s installation, with its tragicomic logic, illustrates vulnerability through the character’s constant smile and apparent control. The public feels empathy for the heart that resists, playful and confident.

© Pierre&Marie. Sculpture, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Photo: Renaud Philippe

La forêt by Diane Obomsawin

Who hasn’t let their imagination turn a simple walk in the forest into a fantastic adventure, seeing mysterious forces in every shadow and sound? In this animated video, Diane Obomsawin invites us to glimpse the souls, creatures, and characters inhabiting an enchanted forest where myths and collective imaginations intertwine.

© Diane Obomsawin. Animation projected on the exterior wall of Maison Mailloux near Maison Kent. Photo: Renaud Philippe

Dissiper la magie by Pierre&Marie

At first glance, Pierre&Marie’s toasted marshmallows evoke the quintessential holiday treat, slowly consumed over time, displaying the aesthetic evolution of the object. Their photographic documentation allows viewers to attentively observe its transformation and deformation, revealing the passage of time and its gentle devastation.

© Pierre&Marie. Photographs, Jean-Pelletier Park. Photo: Renaud Philippe

Magic cube and Ping-Pong by Lei Lei

Drawing from pop culture, video games, and rock music, Lei Lei invites viewers to follow the quest of a ping-pong player in a strange futuristic world. The urban landscape, blending the softness of paper fibers with the vibrant colors of digital universes, punctuates the adventure of the “Rubik’s man.” Lei Lei also highlights the beauty of love at first sight and the joy of play in a world tinged with conformity.

© Lei Lei. Animation projected on the exterior wall of the Musée de la civilisation, Rue Saint-Antoine. Photo: Renaud Philippe

La Traversée by Élise Simard

Set to a melody by Claude Debussy, a child and a rabbit explore a forest where animal and plant silhouettes take on strange forms as night falls. The work gently depicts the anxieties that fill our imagination until the misty, luminous dawn returns. Élise Simard’s technical mastery transports us into soft, textured atmospheres, allowing us to experience the feel of dew or the blinding light of the first ray of sun.

© Élise Simard. Animation projected on the exterior wall of the Musée de la civilisation, Rue Saint-Antoine. Photo: Renaud Philippe

In the Media

“Le jardin d’hiver”: Public Art for FamiliesWalking while observing artworks with the family. Between the Old Port and Old Québec, Manif d’art made this activity possible by creating “Le jardin d’hiver,” a playful art walk through the historic districts of Québec City.

Lire l'article

The Artistic Winter Garden


Until March 9, Manif d’art presents a playful art walk for all ages. A perfect family activity during the winter break!

Lire l'article

Pierre and Marie: Smiling at Disasterà


For the 10th anniversary of Espace Parenthèses, the duo Pierre and Marie created a retrospective exhibition like a fireworks display on the edge of disaster. Staying true to their tender yet grave tone, they find striking poetic images to smile at disaster.

Lire l'article