Photo (above) © Pe Lang

From June 3 to July 3, the third edition of the International Digital Art Biennial of Montreal – BIAN – will exhibit Canadian and international artists, rallied around the theme AUTOMATA – Art made by machines for machines. It will explore the impact of artificial intelligence in art and culture, with a program of robotic, immersive, virtual reality, augmented reality, sculpture and digital video works.

This year, Switzerland is the guest country. Nine Swiss artists, among nearly a hundred others from around the world, will present their works, showcasing the effervescence and vitality of Swiss digital arts. “Switzerland will be recognized by visitors for its modernism, innovation, creativity, and openness to the world,” said Beat Kaser, Consulate General of Switzerland in Montreal, in a press release. See more about Switzerland’s involvement in the festival.

The opening reception of BIAN will be held on Friday, June 3, at 6:00pm. It is free and open to the public. Come and join us to discover the Swiss contemporary digital art scene as it will be depicted in a plural and innovative way, at the intersection of the arts, sciences, and new technologies.

Exhibition Hours | Tuesday & Wednesdays: 11am – 6pm, Thursdays & Fridays: 11am – 8pm, Saturdays & Sundays: 10am – 5pm

The Swiss artists and collectives include the following:

ANWD – A Normal Working Day – with Nadine Fuchs (CH), Marco Delgado (CH), and Zimoun  (CH)| presenting Day 2501 | 2016

PE Lang (CH)| presenting Moving Objects 1703-1750, Moving Objects 1415-1702, and Positionning Systems VI

Zimoun (CH)| presenting 186 prepared dc-motors, cotton balls, cardboard boxes 60x60x60cm (Tower)

Lukas Truniger (CH)| presenting Déjà Entendu / An Opera Automaton

Benjamin Muzzin (CH)| presenting Full Turn

Ugo Rondinone (CH)| presenting Let’s Turn Back Time, Let’s Start This Day Again (Collection Arsenal)

Yann Marussich (CH) with Aether Pilot (QC-CA) | presenting Bleu Remix | Performance on June 3, 7:15pm,  at Arsenal Art Contemporain, within the framework of ELEKTRA.

LSD  (Light Sound and Death) with Boris Edelstein (CH), Steve Buchanan (US) and Laetitia Doizelle (FR) | presenting Blink | Performance on June 3, 9:30pm, at Arsenal Art Contemporain, within the framework of ELEKTRA.

BIAN is under the umbrella of ELEKTRA, taking place June 1 -5. It’s an international digital art festival presenting artists and works that combine art and new technologies. A cultural initiative, ELEKTRA is a trans-disciplinary showcase of local, national, and international creations for Montreal’s community. The ELEKTRA umbrella also includes MIAN, short for Marché International de l’Art Numérique (International Marketplace for Digital Arts – IMDA), which will also take place June 1 – 2.

Additional Montreal-based arts events during this time include Mutek, the electronic music festival taking place June 1-5, and the IX Symposium, organized by SAT, a forum for artists of all kinds that showcases immersive and interactive experiences, which takes place May 31 – June 4.

Check out our BIAN video interviews!