For their 40th anniversary, the Archives gaies du Québec will be donning a new logo to project an image of vitality and progress for the coming years.
We thank the creator of this logo, Jean Logan, who did all this work on a volunteer basis.
After their stay in France as part of the France-Québec exchange, the artists Stephen Shofield and Michel Daigneault have created multiple works inspired by the works of the militant gay writer Yves Navarre, who passed in 1994, during their visit to the Médiathèque de Montpellier where they met members of the organisation Les Amis d’Yves Navarre.
These works will be exhibited in the Archives gaies du Québec’s office starting from March 18th, 2023. It is thanks to Claude Gosselin’s work, our guest curator, that the project was able to take shape.
We thank the Ministère des relations internationales et de la francophonie du Québec for having financed this cultural exchange.
The Caisse populaire Desjardins du Quartier-Latin has given us financial support to create an exhibition space in our office which will be named Espace Desjardins.
We thank them for their partnership in this endeavour.
This workshop, led on March 11th by artist August Klintberg, will centre the AGQ holdings of gay travel guides and matchbooks from the Montreal region – materials that refer to saunas, restaurants, sex clubs and many other sites of conviviality. Participants (all of whom will receive a $50 honorarium) will have access to these archival materials in a leisurely, informal small group consultation session. Participants will contribute to a guided discussion of aspirations, questions, memories, and experiences associated with sites mentioned in these archival materials, including optional creation of drawings, maps, and architectural plans. All are welcome, regardless of experience with archives, or personal connection with the sites referenced (or lack thereof).
Crépuscule (2022-23), Klintberg’s project currently on view at the Maison de la Culture Côte-des-Neiges, is the foundation for this event. The project is a reflection on vanishing, reappearing, and imaginary places of non-straight gathering. Our conversations will echo this artwork’s themes, including questioning “what is queer space, does it exist, and what do you want from it?”
Any materials created during the workshop are the property of the participants. Food and refreshments will be served. Registration is very limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible. While the event will be led in English, contributions can be made in French or English. All are welcome for a 5 à 7 at the Stud (1812 St Catherine St E, Montreal, Quebec H2K 2H3) after the close of the workshop.
Please note that the archive is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible on the weekends. Sensory brief and QSL/ASL support available upon request.
For a period of six months, beginning February 1st 2023, the Archives gaies du Québec will place a moratorium on acquisitions.
This pause will be an opportunity for our team to evaluate the remaining space in our offices as well as review our procedures, in order to better accept future donations.
You can still contact us if you wish to make an archival material donation to the AGQ. We will take note of your offer and contact you after August 1st, 2023.
In spite of the post-pandemic inflationary surge, our 2022 fundraising campaign was a success. We have accumulated over $40,000.
We are very grateful for all this thanks to your generosity.
The endpoint of this campaign took place on January 16th, when we drew the name for the fundraiser raffle. Maria Remiggi won the photograph generously donated by Robert Laliberté.
The draw took place online, in the presence of Yves Lafontaine, director of Fugues magazine, Jacques Prince, president of the Archives gaies du Québec, Pierre Pilotte, coordinator of the Archives gaies du Québec, and Jonathan Proulx-Guimond, coordination and communications assistant.
We want to extend our warmest thanks to all of our donators and Robert Laliberté.
And our congratulations to Maria Remiggi!
In the beginning of November, we have learned with a heavy heart that Louise Robert, a friend of the Archive gaies du Québec who had generously donated a work for our fundraising campaign of 2018, has passed away.
A renowned painter, her works were exhibited in many cities, including Montreal, Québec, Toronto, New York, Vancouver and Paris. Her works can be found in many private collections as well as Canadian museums.
We are sending courage and resilience to Lise Lamarche, her partner of 44 years.
Recently, François Bellemare, a friend and donor of the Archives gaies du Québec, published a novel entitled La renaissance de L’Interlope through publisher Sémaphore.
Described as a « great surprise of the literary season» by Benoît Migneault of magazine Fugues, this family saga takes place over a period of over 150 years in the Faubourg Saint-Laurent, a neighbourhood situated between the Red Light District and the Gay Village.
It reads with a smile and some winces.
On Monday, December 5, over a dozen of members of the ARC (Aînés et retraités de la communauté) took a guided tour of the collections of the Archives gaies du Québec.
The activity, led by Victor Samoylenko of the Archives gaies du Québec, was well appreciated.
The time capsule project that seeks to commemorate the stories of people living with HIV/AIDS, undertaken by Denis Cormier Piché, will be extended until September 2023. People will be able to give anonymous testimony through stories, photographs, images, drawings or poems about the répercussions HIV/AIDS has on their day-to-day life. The capsules will be sealed and kept intact until their unveiling in 2047. This project is in partnership with the Archives gaies du Québec
Following the fundraising exhibit of Robert Laliberté’s photographs at the Écomusée du fier monde between October 21 and 23, the works are now exhibited in the consultation room of the Archives gaies du Québec.
They can be seen on our website or in person by taking an appointment with Pierre Pilotte by email at pierre.pilotte27@gmail.com
It is a perfect opportunity to offer an original gift that will show off your good taste and will appreciate in value with years to come.
LGBT2SQ+ film festival Image+Nation is celebrating its 35th anniversary! The Archives gaies du Québec are proud to contribute to this year’s program, with the video Once Upon a Time in the Gay Village. This short video features René LeBoeuf’s photographs, which are conserved in the AGQ’s collections, in order to tell the story of the creation of the Parc de l’espoir.
The festival will take place from November 17th to 27th 2022. For the full program, visit the festival’s official page.
The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec is presenting a retrospective of photographer Evergon’s work, entitled Evergon.Theatres of the Intimate. from October 20th 2022 to April 2023.
Over 230 photgraphs from the artist, whose career spans over 50 years, will be exhibited. This generous donor to the Archives gaies du Québec dedicated his art to defend sexual, gender, and body diversity.
Do not miss it!
Pierre Pilotte recently spent three days in New York City, and took this opportunity to contact LGBTQ+ organizations in the Big Apple. Among others, he met Lou McCarthy, Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, usually known as The Center.
These were fruitful meetings for the Archives gaies du Québec.
After the success of Robert Laliberté’s photo exhibit at the Écomusée, we decided to showcase the remaining pictures in our office and to continue their sale.
If you are interested in purchasing the works we have on display, you can schedule a meeting with Pierre Pilotte via email at pierre.pilotte27@gmail.com
We want to thank Robert Laliberté for his generous donation for our 2022 fundraising campaign.