Québec, Canada, 2022-07-27 -  EXMURO arts publics and the Ville de Québec are pleased to invite residents and visitors to enjoy this year’s PASSAGES INSOLITES, a public art circuit and events. From June 25 to October 10, 2022, 17 works by 18 local, Canadian, and international artists will be showcased along a 2.5 km circuit in the historic sectors of Place Royale, Petit Champlain, and the Old Port.

In its nine years of existence, PASSAGES INSOLITES has carved out a unique niche in the urban landscape and the hearts of Quebec City residents. This year’s edition creates spaces for artistic encounters and reflections on the environment, decolonization, and geopolitics. In the words of Vincent Roy, EXMURO’s executive and artistic director, this year’s spectacular, provocative programming will “help put Quebec City on the global art map as a venue for exhibiting art and promoting artists, both locally and internationally.”

The event’s mission is represented by 2022 headliner, Ai Weiwei, and PASSAGES INSOLITES' first-ever ambassador, the artist known as PONY.

World-class programming

PASSAGES INSOLITES is thrilled to present the North American premiere of a major new work by renowned artist, Ai Weiwei. Don’t miss this rare opportunity for an intimate encounter with one of the world’s most influential living contemporary

artists. An iconic cultural figure and committed humanitarian activist, Ai Weiwei is celebrated for his politically engaged, subversive practice that challenges orthodoxies and critiques economic, political, and social power imbalances.

PONY: The queen of playful art is PASSAGES INSOLITES’ first ambassador

Long-time PASSAGES INSOLITES favourite, Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, known as PONY (Poor One Newly Young), is a multidisciplinary artist with a trademark playful sensibility. The secret to her success? Inclusive, accessible art that brings people together, pushes for positive change, and promotes mental health. For Tittley, who comes from a humble background, accessible art projects like PASSAGES INSOLITES are crucial, especially when they “give space to diverse voices outside the dominant discourses that have monopolized the conversation for too long.”

Complete program of artists

Nicole Banowetz (Denver, Colorado) – An Adaptive Moment (2021 and 2022)

Collectif Bélanger-Sacy (Quebec City, Quebec) – An Uprising of Sorts (2022)

Tracey-Mae Chambers (Hamilton, Ontario) – #hopeandhealingcanada (2022)

Eva Clouard (Quebec City, Quebec) – Forbidden Games (2022)

Gaspard Combes (Arles, France) – Namas Pamus (2022)

Julia Duranleau and Marie-Pier Lachance (Quebec City, Quebec) – Our Reality, Augmented! (2022)

Mia Feuer (Winnipeg, Manitoba) – Meditations on Earthly Materials and Temperatures (2022)

Sébastien Giguère (Stoneham, Quebec) – Hope 2.0 (2022)

Susanna Hesselberg (Malmö, Sweden) – When my father died it was like a whole library had burned down II (2015, 2021, and 2022)

Benoît Maubrey (Berlin, Germany) – ARENA II (2017, 2021 and 2022)

The Museum of Bad Art (Boston, Massachusetts) – The Museum of Bad Art: The Best of the Worst, new collection (2022)

Vincent Olinet (Paris, France) – Still Not My Story (2022)

Olivier Roberge (Montreal, Quebec) – Territories 2.0 (2021)

Sarah Thibault and the students of École Secondaire Vanier (Quebec City, Quebec) – Traces of our Spaces (2022)

Mathieu Valade (Chicoutimi, Quebec) – Myth and Evidence (2017)

Ai Weiwei (Beijing, China) – Life Jackets (2022)

Embuscades artistiques – Pop-up “art ambushes” in public spaces - Théâtre Kata, Le CRue and Flip Fabrique (Quebec City, Quebec).

Much more than a public art circuit

The Museum of Bad Art is back

Boston’s offbeat Museum of Bad Art is back for 2022 with an even weirder collection of delightfully dubious works. Visit the Maison Hazeur in Place Royale, 27 Rue Notre Dame, from June 25 to October 10, 2022. It’s free!

Guided tours all summer long

Enjoy full or partial tours of the circuit with a professional guide ($15 or $10 per person), from early July to late August.

Instagram photo contest

Enter four draws between July and October to win prizes with a total value of $1,500, including overnight stays at event partner Hotel 71.

Even more of a good thing

Hungry for more? PONY takes the mic for our first-ever podcast, "Soif d’insolites" (available on Spotify). In a series of short vignettes, Gabrielle Laïla Tittley delves into the stories of the artworks and artists who made them. She’ll also immortalize the 9th annual PASSAGES INSOLITES with an original illustration created for the official event T-shirt, on sale at the

Information Centre at 27 Rue Notre Dame starting June 25, 2022.