Two major exhibitions contribute a museological twist to Québec’s 400th anniversary celebrations

Two major exhibitions contribute a museological twist to Québec’s 400th anniversary celebrations

Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings, opening May 9, 2008, charts the development of three early North American settlements established by British, French and Spanish settlers at the beginning of the seventeenth century — Jamestown in 1607, Québec in 1608 and Santa Fe in 1609 — and the ways that development shaped modern North America. This exhibition, which is touring several major museums in the United States, will make its only Canadian showing at the Museum of Civilization.

Heart and Soul: Quebec Folk Art, opening on June 24, 2008, will take visitors on a journey through 400 years of Québécois creativity. The 400 pieces on exhibit — ancient and contemporary, traditional and quirky — show the diversity in folk art through the ages. The exhibition also highlights the liveliness of modern folk art by showcasing the work of some of today’s most interesting artists.

“These two exhibitions, each in their own distinctive way, describe the roots of Canadian culture and society in this important anniversary year,” said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, president and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. “While Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe will show how the creation of permanent European settlements affected both colonists and indigenous peoples in the development of North America, Heart and Soul offers insight into the evolution of homegrown Québécois artistic traditions and their special roots. Both exhibitions reflect on our past in ways that can offer insights into where we’ve come from and where we might go in the future.”

Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings
From May 9 to September 7, 2008
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau

Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe features over 130 artifacts, including Native and European artifacts, paintings, maps, documents, and ceremonial objects from royal collections and museums on both sides of the Atlantic. The exhibition explores the development of trade, agriculture, society and religion in the three settlements, as well as the relationships with indigenous peoples like the Powhatan, Algonquin, Huron and Pueblo.

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Virginia Historical Society and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, with support from the Robins Foundation, Land America, Jamestown 2007, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Heart and Soul: Quebec Folk Art
From June 24, 2008 to March 22, 2009
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau

Heart and Soul presents one of the most comprehensive looks at Quebec folk art. Through the ages, folk art has always been a reflection of its society, and the pieces selected for this exhibit illustrate some of the distinctive traits of the Québécois. With the extensive use of personal videos and recordings, visitors will also be able to discover the folk artists themselves and gain insight into what inspired them.

Most of the works come from the Canad