Around 25 people attended the vernissage for a new multidisciplinary exhibition entitled In the Footsteps of Mary Riley, which blends art, narrative, and collective memory as part of an immersive project that is now on show at the Salle Culturelle Alfred-Langevin until June 1.
Artists Nathalie Boisvert and George Krump combined historical fragments and fictional elements to stitch together the character of Mary Riley, who lived in Dundee from 1845 and 1912, and is thought to have been a contrabandist or bootlegger between 1875 to 1890.
With financial support from the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec, the duo embarked on an exploratory journey using texts, images, maps, and photographs as a starting point. Their work is intimately anchored in the Chateauguay Valley and especially in the municipality of Dundee. They worked with the Dundee Historical Committee and drew on newspaper archives including those of The Gleaner. But, said Krump, the resulting exhibition “is not a documentary.”
The gallery walls are covered in themed collages which resemble a detective’s board or a brainstorm map. Visitors are invited to question: who was Mary Riley? The exhibition includes a writing station where visitors, if inspired, can contribute their own thoughts, memories, or stories to the collection.
The Salle Culturelle Alfred-Langevin is open free of charge on weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. Weekday visits can be reserved by contacting Évelyne Dubois at 450-264-5411, ext. 237. (SR)