Format MTL : le renouveau de la scène montréalaise du design

“I had heard whispers through the design community… just the regular conversations you have with your friends about ‘we have such a great design scene, but nowhere that really represents us to show it off,” said Chloe Latour, creator of the online newsletter-based magazine Community Service.

“And then we got the letter.”

The lucky letter recipients speak of this once-elusive document reverentially. It is a mysterious, intriguing, and exciting catalyst, something industrial designer David Raymond “wanted to know more about,” and a “kick in the butt,” according to sculptural furniture designer Simon Johns. It reads:

“Ever wonder why cities like Copenhagen and Mexico City have grassroots design happenings like 3 Days of Design or Zona Maco, while Montreal doesn’t?... Something is quietly taking shape—a vision for a community-driven, open-source event that brings together the very best of Montreal design.”

There was no sign-off, only a call to action: “help shape something new.”

The start of something new

From New York to Milan, Copenhagen to Mexico City, whole weeks are dedicated to showcasing both local and international designers and their talents. Artists from near and far congregate, connect, display their work and admire the work of their peers.

There is something special about being a designer from the host city—it’s “a time and place where the international media and international designers come to see what was going on in that city,” explains Ana Masut, executive director of Canadian Creators Collective (CCC), a collective of design studios. Until now, until Format, Montreal didn’t have an equivalent.

Lauren Goodman, a sculptural and narrative-based designer in Montreal, reflects on her experience attending these shows, saying that when attending “I’d see all these Québécois designers, and we’d connect… then we’d go back to our black box of a province and never talk to each other again until the next big trade show came and I’d see them in New York again.”

It’s a similar sentiment among the community. Johns, too, felt a gap. Like Lauren, he’d “meet all these Québécois design people in New York, but there was no centralized event in Montreal that we would all congregate around.”

Photograph: @communityservice.mag / @format.mtl

Gather ‘round

So they congregated. At first, lacking a leader or claimant, the meeting was somewhat chaotic. Small groups talked about the event in theory, but failed to reach a consensus, let alone embark upon a planning stage.

Latour and Johns would go on to orchestrate a conversation that resulted in a plan. Instagram would be their throughline of communication, with Jean-Michel Gadoua of editions8888 moderating and dispersing the login, with which anyone could post an event. From there, everyone began settling into their roles, determining where they were best suited to help.

“As a photographer,” says Alex Lesage, “my role is to put light into the work of all these designers… [my involvement in Format MTL] is kind of an extension of a role I already occupy.”

Samuel Lambert, owner of lighting company Lambert et Fils, and Samuel de la Courtemanche, creative director of Menu Extra, alongside Raymond and Johns, are involved in hosting or participating in design events throughout Format’s 3-day span. Latour’s magazine is the official media partner, a means to disseminate information about the events and their offerings, while Masut provides encouragement and support on behalf of the CCC. Yet, no hierarchy exists. As de la Courtemanche explained it, “Everyone can invest what they want in it and not have to follow any kind of model.

In fact, collaboration is the norm. Johns, for example, will have a piece on display during Lambert’s APPLIQUE exhibition, a series of wall sconces from 22 designers, each under $600. Menu Extra, de la Courtemanche says, is organizing a dining experience called Éloge de l’ombre, featuring a slew of designers and their works, from a wooden altar by Gabriel Page to a mirror by Atelier Alz.

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