Talk by Marc Mayer at the Board of Trade of Metropolitain Montreal
Friday, September 29, 2006, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Montréal, September 14, 2006 - Why you should care about contemporary art? That is the question the Director of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Marc Mayer, will answer in his talk at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal business breakfast on Friday, September 29, 2006, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Forget everything you think you know about contemporary art, as it is probably out of date. Contemporary art is the most dynamic and influential field in the arts in general, and Montréal, one of the greatest concentrations of the creative class in North America, has every right to be proud of its high level of sophistication in this area.

After explaining why it was such a good idea to initiate an important collection of new art back in 1964 when the Musée d'art contemporain was founded, Marc Mayer will present his plans to turn the Old Port’s Silo No. 5 into a museum of modern art—the first of its kind in Canada—based on the Musée’s impressive collection, only 5% of which is currently accessible.

Marc Mayer has been Director of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal since 2004. He previously worked at several major cultural institutions in North America, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, where he led preparations for the Jean-Michel Basquiat retrospective, the Power Plant in Toronto and the Albright-KnoxArtGallery in Buffalo, and in Europe, with the Cultural Services of the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

This activity organized by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is presented as part of the 10th edition of the Journées de la culture. During the breakfast, the name of the artist who created the trophy for the Prix Arts-Affaires de Montréal design competition will be announced. These prizes, awarded in partnership with the Conseil des arts de Montréal and in collaboration with Le Devoir, will be handed out this coming November 30.

Tickets are on sale at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

Fax:                            514-871-5971

Phone:                        514-871-4000 ext. 4001

Website:                     www.ccmm.qc.ca

Cost: Members: $45.58 per person / $410.22 per table of 10

Non-members: $62.67 per person / $626.73 per table of 10

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Source and information:                                           
Danielle Legentil                                                       
Media Relations Officer                                            
Tel.: (514) 847-6232                                                 
E-mail: danielle.legentil@macm.org