Rencontres invites professional Québec artists to submit a project proposal between February 16 and March 20 aimed at carrying out a photographic assignment that will document one or more aspects of the contemporary Gaspesian landscape.

This call for proposals is launched in the spirit of the roundtable held in August 2015 at Carleton-sur-Mer entitled The Québec landscape: political assessment and artistic perspectives. “The two projects selected will constitute the first contributions to a long-term photographic mission that will cover, between now and 2021, and given the necessary funding, the entire landscape of Québec,” points out the executive and artistic director of Rencontres, Claude Goulet. “We also hope to create a national photographic-archive fund on the Québec landscape.” Alexis Desgagnés, who is an art historian, exhibit curator, artist, researcher and teacher, will act as commissioner for photo assignments.

The Québec landscape

As a result of natural factors or human intervention the Québec landscape is being transformed, before our all too often powerless eyes. Building on the case of the contemporary Gaspesian landscape, professional Québec artists are invited to propose original photo projects that will explore the following questions: how do things stand with the contemporary Québec landscape? What role can photography play?

The proposals will be evaluated by a peer-review panel consisting of artists and other stakeholders in current Québec photography circles. The panel will select those that best represent a fundamental and necessary reflection bearing on an aspect (social, political, economic, esthetic…) of the contemporary Gaspesian landscape and translated into the language of photography. The key consideration in the selection of projects will be the relevance of the proposals to the issues stated in the call for projects, on the one hand, and how appropriate they are to the domain of current photography, on the other.

Note that these photo assignments are intended exclusively for Québec artists and must be carried out between May 8, 2016 and February 1, 2017 in the Gaspé. The results of these two assignments will be presented during the 2017 edition of Rencontres. The event also hopes to use one or two pictures at its 2016 edition.

Registration information

Artists who wish to submit a project in the framework of these two photo assignments must fill out the Web application form by March 20, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. (Québec time).

The two photographers selected will be informed of the jury’s decision no later than March 31, 2016.

Financial arrangements

Each photographer selected will receive:

• A lump sum for his or her meal and lodging expenses in the Gaspé (once we have discussed a work schedule with the artist);

• An amount to offset travel costs;

• An honorarium of $3,500 (terms of payment will be discussed with the artist when the agreement is signed).

For all questions relative to the call for projects, please get in touch by email with Claude Goulet.