For its 13th edition, Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal has invited renowned British curator Paul Wombell to develop an exhibition program around his theme, Drone: The Automated Image. From September 5 to October 5, 2013, visitors will have a chance to explore 25 exhibitions in 14 sites across Montreal. Visitors will discover local, national, and international artists, a number of whom produced works specifically for this event or are presenting their works in Canada for the first time. The artists explore how humans share the stage with technology, emphasizing the functions and intelligence of the camera and its transformation into an object that can inspire dreams. More than simply expanding vision into places where the human cannot travel, due to distance or danger, the camera is a sophisticated instrument with its own laws and its own agency. By excavating the history of camera technology and also looking into its future, the artists are raising an important question: do cameras have a life of their own? Inspired by the theme of the event, the public programs invite visitors to immerse themselves more deeply in the artworks and the theme, explore facets of current artistic practice, experience the transformations of the photographic image, and discover many striking works. The interactive and user-friendly activities are meant to create a memorable cultural experience that leads to a better understanding and appreciation of contemporary photography. Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal is proud to be partnering with 13 exhibition spaces to present its programming: Canadian Centre for Architecture; Centre des arts actuels Skol; Darling Foundry; Galerie B-312; MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels); Maison de la culture Frontenac; Maison de la culture Marie-Uguay; Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal; The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; McCord Museum; OPTICA, a centre for contemporary art; SBC Gallery of Contemporary Art; and VOX, centre de l’image contemporaine. Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal will also collaborate with Make Art Public to present an outdoor exhibition on Monk boulevard in the Ville-Émard neighbourhood. The official program is available in select locations in Montreal and surrounding areas, as well as at the exhibition spaces during the run of the shows. To see a list of locations, or to download a pdf version of the program, click here. THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS, ALL EXHIBITIONS WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE.

Paul Wombell

Paul Wombell is an independent curator and writer on photography living in London, U.K. He has been director of Impressions Gallery, York (1986–94), director of The Photographers’ Gallery, London (1994–2005) and festival director of the Hereford Photography Festival (2006–07). Since 2007 he has curated exhibitions for the annual photographic festival PHotoEspaña in Madrid and for FotoGrafia Festival Internazionale di Roma. Most recently, he organized the one-person exhibition Calves and Thighs: Juergen Teller (2010) and the group exhibition Bumpy Ride: The Prophecies of Photography (2010). He regularly writes for international photographic publications. He has edited eight books on photography the most recent being End Times: Jill Greenberg (TF Editores/D.A.P., 2012), and The 70s: Photography and Everyday Life (La Fábrica, 2009) co-edited with Sergio Mah.