Claude Gosselin, Wayne Baerwaldt and the Biennale de Montréal 2007 not doing so well.
Howdy!
Yesterday Sarah Milroy reviewed the Biennale de Montréal 2007, and in it she wrote "But - as the crowds that poured into Montreal for the opening can attest..."
One problem, there are no crowds. I asked when I was there last Friday, and was told that the first weekend had been good and that they had received about 150 visitors at the Ecole Bourget. However last Thursday they had only received 36 visitors, and I was visitor 24 on Friday at about 3:30 pm.
Then today I decided to return once again before writing anything, and they were closed. On the main entrance there was nothing except a sign saying "Open Everyday : 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m." Just like they say on the website.
Over on the door to the annex, not the main entrance they have a small sign in French only that states that due to the Bus and Metro strike they had to change hours to Thursday to Sunday noon to 7 pm. Which is about as much balderdash as us getting snow in July. Because of the strike there is no service on the weekends, so I would understand if they closed on Saturday and Sundays - but they are open. Because of the strike there is public transportation during the morning rush hour and the evening rush hour, so I would understand if instead of "Everyday : 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m." like they write on their website, they opened everyday but at 9 AM and then closed at 6 PM.
But to blame they strike and the inability of their employees to get into work is flat out wrong and incorrect. Plus I would imagine that most if not all of their staff were students who had been depending on that summer job. And that most of the money to pay them was from some government program. If I am correct, then what I want to know is where is the money going that they saved? All the art has been paid for, all the rent has been paid for, the transport has been paid for, so they decided that due to bad marketing and promotion they were going to lay off (or reduce the hours) of some students?
I don't like it one bit.
[update 4:20 pm: Well we will be able to see if I am right or if it truly is because of the strike at the STM that they changed hours. Next Tuesday right after my court appearance I will be at the Ecole Bourget. The strike is only going to be lasting another 48 hours before the governement legislates everyone back to work.]
Yesterday Sarah Milroy reviewed the Biennale de Montréal 2007, and in it she wrote "But - as the crowds that poured into Montreal for the opening can attest..."
One problem, there are no crowds. I asked when I was there last Friday, and was told that the first weekend had been good and that they had received about 150 visitors at the Ecole Bourget. However last Thursday they had only received 36 visitors, and I was visitor 24 on Friday at about 3:30 pm.
Then today I decided to return once again before writing anything, and they were closed. On the main entrance there was nothing except a sign saying "Open Everyday : 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m." Just like they say on the website.
Over on the door to the annex, not the main entrance they have a small sign in French only that states that due to the Bus and Metro strike they had to change hours to Thursday to Sunday noon to 7 pm. Which is about as much balderdash as us getting snow in July. Because of the strike there is no service on the weekends, so I would understand if they closed on Saturday and Sundays - but they are open. Because of the strike there is public transportation during the morning rush hour and the evening rush hour, so I would understand if instead of "Everyday : 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m." like they write on their website, they opened everyday but at 9 AM and then closed at 6 PM.
But to blame they strike and the inability of their employees to get into work is flat out wrong and incorrect. Plus I would imagine that most if not all of their staff were students who had been depending on that summer job. And that most of the money to pay them was from some government program. If I am correct, then what I want to know is where is the money going that they saved? All the art has been paid for, all the rent has been paid for, the transport has been paid for, so they decided that due to bad marketing and promotion they were going to lay off (or reduce the hours) of some students?
I don't like it one bit.
[update 4:20 pm: Well we will be able to see if I am right or if it truly is because of the strike at the STM that they changed hours. Next Tuesday right after my court appearance I will be at the Ecole Bourget. The strike is only going to be lasting another 48 hours before the governement legislates everyone back to work.]
posted by Zeke's, the Montreal Art Gallery on 23.5.07
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