The Winter Garden – 2025 Edition

Starting February 28, Manif d’Art invites you to immerse yourself in the fourth edition of Jardin d’hiver! Public art, creative workshops, and a central exhibition at Espace Quatre Cents—an inspiring winter arts experience unfolding across Québec City.

THeMe : Echoing Tales

CURATED BY JuliA CARON GUILLEMETTE

For its fourth edition, Jardin d’hiver rekindles the art of storytelling, inviting us to pause and listen to the narratives that unfold. This year’s program showcases works by Jean-Robert Drouillard, Marie-Andrée Gill, Marc-Antoine K. Phaneuf, Magali Hébert-Huot, Gabrielle Lajoie-Bergeron, Myriam Lambert, Jiwan Larouche, Jean Michel René, Skawennati, and Noelle Wharton-Ayer—artists who, each in their own way, embody the essence of a storyteller.

Through their work, they craft narratives that transport us to new realms—some imagined, others drawn from reality, blurring the lines between the two. These pieces don’t offer all the answers; instead, they invite us to participate in shaping their meaning, allowing their stories to echo within us. Free from rigid interpretations, they create moments for shared reflection—on morals, social issues, or the beauty of the world around us. Ultimately, they open a space for dialogue, not only between the storytellers and their audience but also among those who listen.

EXHIBITIONS

Espace QUATRE CENTS

February 28 – April 20, 2025

Espace Quatre Cents hosts the central exhibition of Jardin d’hiver, featuring a group show by the artists participating in the 2025 public art program, along with a retrospective exhibition by the duo Cooke-Sasseville.

Irreverent since the year 2000, Cooke-Sasseville has been known for making artworks that blend absurdity and wonder with a touch of dark humour. Embodying the figure of the two-headed narrator, the duo’s works are like freeze-frames: its stories contained within the core of an instant, as if a film had been stopped in mid-action. These insidious scenes lure us in with their aesthetic, their nod to pop culture. Upon closer inspection, however, we realize that the bonhomie and jokiness gets increasingly dark. Is this really humour or is it irony?

Through their work, Cooke-Sasseville invite us to reflect on some of the mechanisms of our society. To our surprise, we become the characters in the story. Drawn in by their alluring aesthetic, we realize—perhaps too late—that their message and the issues they raise is of concern to us. If the story has no end, it’s probably up to us to finish it…

Activities & Workshops

Every Saturday & Sunday

ESPACE QUATRE CENTS

Jardin d’hiver invites you to explore art in all its forms through four creative workshops inspired by the practices of this year’s featured artists. Whether experimenting with cyanotype light, sculpting whimsical creatures, playing with shadows and silhouettes, or crafting your own mini-book, each workshop offers a unique opportunity to discover a new artistic technique while having fun. The workshops will be designed and led by professional cultural mediator Gabrielle Borgia.

PUBLIC ART

Again this year, the Winter Garden will make the streets and squares of Québec City resonate with several new works of art. Three circuits, from Saint-Roch to Old Quebec by way of Saint-Jean-Baptiste will come alive as they are imaginatively renamed Rêveurs, Citadins, and Curieux, as young and old wander and wonder at the works of seven talented artists. A full map of each route will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

In Libraries

Thanks to our partnership with the Bibliothèque de Québec, artworks by four artists will enhance the city’s libraries at different periods throughout the event.

Bibliothèque Claire-Martin
Jiwan Larouche
Du 26 février au 31 mars

►  Discover

 

 

Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy
Magali Hébert-Huot
February 28 - March 31
►. Discover

Bibliothèque Aliette-Marchand
Gabrielle Lajoie-Bergeron
March 1st - April 3
►  Discover

Bibliothèque Monique-Corriveau
Marie-Andrée Gill
March 7 – April 6

Bibliothèque Monique-Corriveau
Video by Farid Kassouf et Renaud Lefebvre on the work of Marie-Andrée Gill
March 1 – March 31
►  Discover

The Artists

Meanwhile, at Espace Quatre Cents…

Cooke-Sasseville : Contre toute attente

In 2025, the irreverent Québec duo Cooke-Sasseville celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark this milestone, Manif d’art will present a retrospective exhibition titled Against All Odds concurrently with The Winter Garden.
discover

Message from the Government of Québec

Art at the Heart of Winter

The Government of Québec is pleased to support The Winter Garden, an event that promises a memorable experience for all participants. It is an exceptional showcase for the talent of participating artists and for our event and cultural industries.

This winter event is the perfect opportunity to discover the work of renowned and emerging artists while enjoying the many attractions and activities that energize the Capitale-Nationale region. An experience sure to delight young and old alike!

We warmly congratulate the entire organizing team for bringing this beautiful artistic event to life.

Caroline Proulx
Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region

Mathieu Lacombe
Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister responsible for Youth, and Minister responsible for the Outaouais region

 

Our Partners

Medias Parteners