Press release
A cultural legacy from Loto-Québec to Ville de GatineauA public work of art for the downtown area
A cultural legacy from Loto-Québec to Ville de GatineauA public work of art for the downtown area
Montréal, May 23, 2018 – Next summer, artist Serge Olivier Fokoua will create a work of art called Humanitude on Maison du citoyen land at the heart of downtown Gatineau. This public work of art, a cultural legacy project Loto-Québec is offering to the community in cooperation with the Casino du Lac-Leamy and Ville de Gatineau, will be inaugurated in the fall of 2018 at the latest.
A unifying piece
- The project is the fruit of consultations orchestrated by Loto-Québec following a call for proposals administered by Ville de Gatineau in a collaborative process.
- A jury made up of representatives from various Ville de Gatineau sectors and one Loto‑Québec delegate selected the artist based on a defined set of criteria.
- The work of art, which will be set up on Maison du citoyen land, will foster social inclusion and togetherness via games. Unifying and entertaining, it will align well with other downtown activities.
- The work will be made up of seven columns (characters). Placed close together with the smaller ones in front and taller ones behind, like in a family portrait, the columns will be painted in blue, green and red.
- Fascinated by fire hydrants and cooking pots, the artist will use similar shapes to define the bodies of his characters.
Few words on the artist
- Born in Douala, Cameroon, Serge Olivier Fokoua lives in Gatineau. He is actually completing a master’s degree in visual arts from Université Laval, among other educational accomplishments.
- As an artist, he mainly works with installation and performance media.
- Serge Olivier Fokoua has participated in many exhibitions and festivals on the international scene. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Centre interculturel de Gatineau and of the editorial board of Québec art revue Inter.
Quotes
- “The work of art I’m offering to the Gatineau community is intended to celebrate diversity, love and unity among peoples. Humanitude is a project that fosters togetherness, feeling part of the community and joie de vivre,” explained artist Serge Olivier Fokoua.
- “The Casino du Lac-Leamy is recognized for its contributions to the local economy and tourism, but we are also committed to showcasing arts and culture in the region. We are proud and enthusiastic to participate in the production of this project,” said Alain Miroux, General Manager of the Casino du Lac-Leamy.
- “This project follows the launch of ‘cultural journeys’ in our establishments and seeks to consolidate Loto-Québec’s cultural contribution to the community,” added Simon Robert, Director of Social Responsibility at Loto-Québec.
About the Collection Loto-Québec
One of Québec’s largest corporate collections, the Collection Loto-Québec brings together almost 5,000 works created by over 1,200 artists. Since its creation in 1979, the Collection has showcased the work of local artists. Since 2012, Loto-Québec has developed five public cultural projects that combine art, environment and community, in Saint-Jérôme, Rouyn-Noranda, Jonquière, Saint-Jovite and Sherbrooke.
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Source:
Patrice Lavoie
Corporate Director, Public Affairs, Press Relations and Social Media
Loto-Québec
514-499-5130
patrice.lavoie@loto-quebec.com
twitter.com/patricelavoie
Information:
Geneviève Léveillé
Communications Advisor
Casino du Lac-Leamy
819-772-6262, ext. 3695
genevieve.leveille@casino.qc.ca