Public Art

In Quebec City, art leaves the walls of galleries to take root in the heart of the city: on the quays, in parks, in public squares, and even on the ferry. Credit : Morphée, Paul Cox, 2024, wood, acrylic. Photo: Renaud Philippe

Throughout the Biennial, artists from Québec, Canada, and around the world transform emblematic sites across the city.
From the waterfront to the historic districts, from the traversier to urban passageways, their works weave themselves into daily life—shaped by architecture, light, weather, and the stories of the territory.

These video works, installations, performances, and luminous interventions invite visitors to slow down, look differently, and feel how the city breathes.
Here is the complete selection of public artworks presented as part of Manif d’art 12 – The Québec City Biennial.

PUBLIC ARTWORKS OF MANIF D’ART 12

A walking tour through the lively streets of Quebec City

Giorgia Volpe — Rue Saint-Augustin / rue Saint-Jean

Ausculter le plafond — Video Projection

A shifting canopy of light stretches across the façades.
Here, the street becomes a porous surface—listening, reflecting, and echoing its surroundings.

María Ezcurra — Le Lieu

Pas perdus — Installation

Textiles, traces, paths crossing one another.
Ezcurra creates an enveloping environment where movement, memory, and the act of walking become material.

Couzyn van Heuvelen — Côte d’Abraham (alcôves de pierre)

Nitsiit (2023) — Installation

Set within the old stone niches, these metallic forms echo Inuit tools—reimagined and resilient.
A subtle dialogue between urban heritage and northern tradition.

Sabrina Ratté — La Charpente des Fauves

TERRAFORMA (2025) — Video

Within the shadows of this industrial building, Ratté’s digital landscapes emerge.
Speculative architectures and shifting textures open a window onto imagined futures.

Catherine Arsenault — Manif d’art

Nos rivages — Video

An intimate portrait of maritime territory.
Voices, images, and horizons intertwine in a quiet homage to coastal life

Joi T. Arcand — 400 boulevard René-Lévesque

itihtin — Light Installation

A circular, glowing form inspired by the Cree language.
A beacon that connects past, present, and future along one of Québec City’s main arteries.

Cozic — Domaine de Maizerets

Les sept continents (2025) — Installation

Playful forms and vivid colours reinvent the idea of mapping.
A sculptural landscape that turns the park into a world of its own.

Lori Blondeau — Gare de la Traverse de Lévis

Lonely Surfer Squaw (1997) — Textile Photography

Three large silhouettes stand against the open horizon of the river.
A work that questions representation, presence, and Indigenous identity in public space.

Lori Blondeau — Centre Alyne-LeBel

Asiniy Iskwew (2016) — Lightboxes

Radiant, grounded, and sovereign, the figure illuminated here inhabits the space with quiet strength.
A luminous affirmation at the heart of the city.

Tania Candiani — Quai des Cageux

Installation

Along the riverfront, Candiani’s intervention listens to the site itself—its wind, its tides, its passing bodies.
A quiet, resonant presence that transforms the quay into a space of vibration.

February 28 – April 19, 2025

Tania Candiani

  • Art public

Giorgia Volpe

  • Art public
From February 28 to April 29, 2026

Lori Blondeau

  • Art public
February 28 – April 19, 2025

Joi T. Arcand

  • Art public
February 28 – April 19, 2026

COZIC

  • Art public

FAQ — How to visit public art?

Is the public art free to visit?

Yes. All public artworks presented for the Biennial are completely free.
Some performances happen at specific times, but access remains open to everyone.

Do I need to follow a specific route?

No. You can explore the artworks at your own pace.
Manif d’art provides a map and information by neighborhood to help you plan your visit, but spontaneous discovery is absolutely encouraged.

Are the artworks family-friendly?

Absolutely. The public artworks are designed to be accessible to families, children, teenagers, and international visitors.

Are the artworks visible both day and night?

Most outdoor installations can be viewed at any time.
Some video works or projections offer a different atmosphere depending on the hour—more intimate at night, more contextual during the day.

Do I need to walk a lot?

It depends on the location.
City-center artworks are close to one another, while those in parks (Maizerets, Montmorency Falls) may require a bit more walking.
All the routes are designed to be comfortable and enjoyable.

Can I take photos?

Of course. Public art is a wonderful opportunity for photography—architecture, river views, installations, performances.
We invite you to share your photos using #manifdart12