A Feminist Universe: Celebrating 20 Years

Studio XX Celebrates Twentieth Anniversary with Panel Discussion and Party

Studio XX will celebrate 20 years on April 20, 2016 since its opening in 1996.
Cathy Lamontagne (intern), Erandy Vergara (XX’s programming coordinator), Samantha Infante (intern), Daniel Sarrazin (intern), Stéphanie Lagueux (XX’s webmistress). Photo courtesy Studio XX

Studio XX, a Montreal-based digital media art centre, provides a welcoming and safe space for artists to flourish under a feminist roof.

The studio, which promotes itself as a bilingual, accessible workspace for artists who identify as women, trans or otherwise dissident, is approaching its 20th birthday.

In celebration of two decades of art and involvement in feminist media, Studio XX will host a roundtable discussion with the voices of various Montreal-based platforms tonight at 6 p.m.

Studio XX frequently hosts artist residencies, festivals, workshops and events centred around feminism, art and collaboration.

The panelists include: Amelia Wong-Mersereau, of Yiara Magazine; Anne Golden, of Groupe Intervention Vidéo; Oriane Asselin-Van Coppenolle, of La Centrale; and Camille Toffoli of l’Euguélionne, a feminist library.

“It’s going to start with a moderator asking questions, and each speaker or organization will have a chance to respond to the question,” explained Samantha Infante, a Concordia student and Studio XX intern. Infante has been heavily involved in planning the event and its theme. “We brainstormed people that we liked and thought were important and necessary,” she said.

With both speakers representing a broad handful of local platforms, the planning team looked for individuals that are “saturated with literature and scholarly aspects” to the conversation of feminism.

The discussion will put focus on “what the future of feminism looks like for a place like Studio XX,” said Infante—as well as in Montreal as a whole.

The discussion will put focus on “what the future of feminism looks like for a place like Studio XX,” said Infante, a Studio XX intern

With the basic idea that feminists perspectives can shape the public space, the themes of the panel will take a look at how media arts—animated by feminist perspectives—can take the public space online and offline.

The event draws inspiration from a legacy of feminist artists, activists and philosophers such as Judith Butler, Bell Hooks and Gloria E. Anzaldúa, who challenged social structures of inequality based on constructs, such as gender, geography, race and sexuality, explained Martine Frossard, the communications coordinator of the studio.

The studio itself, founded in 1996, fits snuggly into Berri St.’s tranquil atmosphere while offering an inviting place to work. “In short, [Studio XX] exists for artists and we invite them to come to work on their projects, use space and resources to collaborate and share their knowledge,” Frossard said.

Studio XX’s Programming Committee, staff and interns: Christina Bosowec (intern), Pavitra Wickramasinghe (artist), Sarah Choukah (artist), Gwenaëlle Denis (XX’s development coordinator), Julie Alary Lavallée (art historian), Alice Jarry (artist), Erandy Vergara (XX’s programming coordinator), and Stéphanie Lagueux (XX’s webmistress).

Studio XX’s influence in the feminist community has reached far and wide. The studio hosts a radio-show, workshops, internship opportunities and festivals throughout year.

“I think that’s what makes Studio XX so unique,” said Infante. “It’s that [Studio XX] is so well-established yet always inviting to people who are interested in becoming a part of the scene”.

Studio XX’s Twentieth Anniversary Conversation + Party// April 20 // 4001 Berri St. // 6:00 p.m. More info here.