Fascinated by the lives and work of women artists of the past, Louise Bédard developed several choreographic works in relation to this theme. Having started the creation process for the duet Elles, which was already being inspired by Tina Modotti, Louise Bédard happened to meet independent curator Lucie Bureau. She was conducting a long term research project on women artists and photographers of the beginning of the last century, which led to exhibitions like Ella Maillart, Voyages 1930-1939; Tina Modotti, de la passion mexicaine 1924-1930; Les femmes photographes néerlandaises 1930-1954; and Les femmes photographes québécoises et canadiennes 1840-1950. Their mutual interest in the heritage of an exceptional photographer such as Modotti is what led them conceive the exhibition Tina Modotti 1924-1929. This marriage between dance and photography is part of what made Elles an important artistic manifestation and one that appealed to a wide audience.

The exhibition was presented in the following galleries :

  • Foreman Art Gallery of Bishop’s University, Lennoxville : October 9 to November 4, 2002

  • Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montréal : November 8 to December 8, 2002

  • Centre des Migrations, Montmagny : April 1 to 18, 2004

  • Galerie d’art l’Union-Vie, Centre culturel de Drummondville : January 10 to February 20, 2005

For this special event, an exhibition catalogue was published under the title Elles, Tina Modotti, photographies 1924-1929. The 53-page booklet is comprised of photos and texts, in English and French, by Louise Bédard, Lucie Bureau and Elena Poniatowska. (ISBN 2-980-7783-0-3)

 
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Tina Modotti – photographies 1924-1929 exhibition at Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal (Montréal). Photos : Lucie Bureau