An exhibition at the Salon du livre de la Côte-Nord is the target of graffiti

As part of the 38^and Book Fair of the Côte-Nord, posters of the exhibition have been installed on the promenade of the Vieux-Quai in Sept-Îles.

The Salon de la Région denounced on Facebook that the work was the target of a graffiti artist.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Marc-Antoine Mageau

Even though the graffiti was drawn in chalk, the general manager of the Salon du livre de la Côte-Nord, Mélanie Devost, is worried about the costs that could result from a refurbishment.

We could perhaps try to gently erase the graffiti so as not to damage the panels, but it would seem that all the same, it makes the panels turn a little pale, which we may have to redo eventuallyshe explains.

” Seeing these deplorable things a few days before the Salon du livre de la Côte-Nord certainly undermines morale a little, but we are moving forward anyway. »

Mélanie Devost, general manager of the Salon du livre de la Côte-Nord (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada / Marc-Antoine Mageau

Ms. Devost adds that visitors will likely be able to read the content of the panels in the next few days.

It’s a lot of work to organize such an event. So we hope that the people who made [ces graffitis] be aware that it is more troubles than other thingsshe notes.

The artistic and literary co-director of the exhibition, Isabelle Forest, regrets this situation, but indicates in writing that the possibility of the works being vandalized is part of the risks of presenting content in the public space.

” This situation demonstrates that humans have a fundamental need to express themselves. »

The texts of This is not an ad remain themselves untouchable and can be broadcast again, on restored or new panelssays Ms. Forest.

A recurring act of vandalism?

The Salon du livre du Saguenay–Lac-Jean also presented the exhibition last fall This is not an advertisement.

Towards the end of the exhibition, we realized that we had vandalized panels, a bit like on the North Shoreexplains Sylvie Marcoux, director of the Salon du livre du Saguenay–Lac-Jean.

Sylvie Marcoux is the general manager of the Salon du livre du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada

Ms. Marcoux claims that some panels were torn off, while others disappeared.

” The work has been exhibited in Quebec, Trois-Rivières, Gatineau, Saguenay and on the North Shore. It was just us, the Saguenay and the North Shore, which had damaged panels. »

If we hadn’t had a problem like that in 2021, maybe we would have represented This is not an ad in 2022she observes.

Mélanie Devost, who spoke with Ms. Marcoux, does not think that the act of vandalism in Sept-Îles and that in Saguenay-Lac-Jean are linked.

My colleague Sylvie Marcoux, it also broke her heart. For us who are NPOnonprofit organizationto replace these panels before handing them over to our partner, these are additional sums that were not provided for in our budgetsays Mélanie Devost.

38^and North Shore Book Fair will take place in person from May 12 to 15 at the Guy-Carbonneau arena in Sept-Îles.