Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal facts for kids
The museum seen from Place des Festivals plaza
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| Established | 1964 |
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| Location | 1 Place Ville Marie Ouest Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Type | Art museum |
| Visitors | 241,527 (2011) |
| Public transit access |   at Place-des-Arts |
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (which means Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, or MACM for short) is a special art museum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It's located in a lively area called the Quartier des spectacles, which is part of the Place des Arts complex. This museum is all about showing and celebrating contemporary art. Contemporary art means art made in our time, usually from the mid-20th century until now.
The MACM was started in 1964. It was the very first museum in Canada dedicated only to contemporary art. Over the years, it moved a few times. In 1992, the museum found its current home at Place des Arts in Montreal.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal was created in 1964 by the Quebec government. It was the first place in Canada focused only on contemporary art. This means it was the first museum to collect and show art made in recent times.
Early Locations of the MACM
Before settling in its current spot, the museum was in three different places. From 1964 to 1965, it was at Place Ville-Marie. Then, from 1965 to 1968, it moved to the Château Dufresne. After that, from 1968 to 1992, it was at the Expo 67's International Fine Arts Exhibition.
In 1983, the museum became an independent organization. This meant it was managed by its own board of directors.
Designing the New Museum Building
In 1983, a big competition was held to choose the design for a new building. This new building would be the permanent home for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal. More than one hundred architecture companies joined the competition. In 1984, the company Jodoin Lamarre Pratte & Associés was chosen as the winner.
On May 28, 1992, the museum opened its new building. This new home was much larger, about 15,100 square meters. It is located at Place des Arts in Downtown Montreal. The museum is now part of Canada's largest cultural complex. This complex brings together both performing arts and visual arts.
When the new building opened, nearly 20,000 people visited the museum. This happened on May 29 and 30, 1992. After the move, a Quebec artist named Geneviève Cadieux created a special artwork. It's called La Voie lactée (The Milky Way). This artwork is a close-up photo of a pair of lips. It is installed on the roof of the museum building.
Recent Changes and Redevelopment
In June 2017, the museum announced a contest to redesign and expand its building. This was done to make the museum fit better into the lively Quartier des spectacles area. In April 2018, a design by Saucier+Perrotte Architectes / GLCRM & Associés Architectes was chosen.
In 2021, the museum moved to a temporary location at Place Ville-Marie. This move was necessary while the main building was being redeveloped. The redevelopment project is still ongoing.
Art Collection at the MACM
The MACM has a large and important collection of contemporary art. Four rooms in the museum are always used to show parts of this collection. These rooms feature artworks that show important trends in contemporary art. The collection includes art by artists from Quebec, other parts of Canada, and around the world. Four other rooms are used for temporary exhibitions. These shows change regularly.
What's in the Collection?
The museum's collection has over 7,000 works of art. These works are by more than 1,500 different artists. About 1,200 of these artists are still alive today. The collection focuses on contemporary art from Quebec and Canada. It also includes important works by international artists.
The collection includes many types of art. You can see contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs, and video art. There are also installations, which are artworks that fill a space. The museum also has many works on paper. The MACM is the only cultural center in Canada that focuses on both contemporary performing art and visual arts.
The museum has a very important collection of works by a Montreal artist named Betty Goodwin (1923-2008). Her art is a significant part of the museum's holdings.
