SELFIES – December, 2020

ELAN is scheduling six Discussion Groups about the complex identities within Quebec’s English-speaking communities and our sense of belonging. Each Discussion Group brings together people whose families arrived in Quebec during the same period and encountered similar challenges and opportunities. The first two groups brought together people whose families arrived before 1945 and between 1945 and 1970. We are now looking for participants who arrived, or whose family arrived, in Quebec between 1970 and 2015.  We are looking for a diversity and interesting stories from people who came from anywhere in the world (including other Canadian provinces) and now feel part of Quebec’s English-speaking community.

If you have an interesting story to tell about making a new home in Quebec, your challenges then and your sense of belonging now, send an email to guyrodgers@quebec-elan.org.

A second part of ELAN’s SELFIES project is a celebration of works of art by local artists. ELAN is happy to announce the five winners who were randomly drawn from the submissions received by the end of October.

Aaron Saloman submitted Corey Gulkin’s 2018 CD “All the Things I’ll Forget“ and said: “I get the sense that significant pain went into its creation. […] It’s a perfect musical metaphor for the sensation of being outside oneself, observing one’s own existential tumult. The unprepared shifts […] never let you get emotionally settled. Just as you can exist for a long time in a bad situation without realizing the extent of it, the song[…] lure[s] you in so you barely notice everything’s teetering on the brink of collapse.”

Anana Rydvald submitted Stacey Christodoulou’s 2016 theatre production “LoveULovecraft“

and said: “Stacey Christodoulou is an artist who has inspired me in every way. I came to Montreal from Denmark speaking only English and in love with the more “physical” style of Theatre. I was dismayed that so little English theatre did collective work with the body as the main source of inspiration, until I encountered Stacey Christodoulou and The Other Theatre.”

Dale Hayes submitted Anna Chatterton’s 2017 theatre production “Within the Glass“ and said: “Within The Glass tells the story of two very different couples that meet after a critical mistake at a fertility clinic: a fertilized egg has been implanted into the wrong woman. Over the course of an awkward and absurd evening, they fight to determine the uncertain future of their IVF child. I felt the subject matter was topical. With women waiting longer to start families, I feel this story will resonate with many people.”

Marika Galea submitted Thus Owls’ 2018 CD “The Mountain That We Live Upon“ and said: “Creation from an artistic as well as a biological point of view. What does motherhood, parenthood and artistry mean and what happens in the wake of our choices? […] Simon & Erika Angell’s direct plunge into a life of creation (in every sense) gave voice to a thought loop I had been having silently, in my heart and mind, for years. […] Witnessing Erika and Simon living and performing their evolving truth, in turn liberated me to do the same […]bursting through the monotony of everyday life.”

Felicia Shulman submitted Trevor Barrette’s 2017 theatre production “Memento Mori“ and said: “Among all the moving Fringe productions I have seen in tight spaces, Trevor Barrette’s ‘Memento Mori’ stands out.”

ELAN will continue accepting submissions until the end of February. All we need to know is who the artist is, what the piece is called, and how it has impacted you in a few sentences. Send them to submissions@quebec-elan.org.