A cultural autumn with Gino Chouinard

A Montrealer by adoption, Gino Chouinard admits to having discovered some of his favourite cultural spots in the city on Salut, Bonjour!, the TVA television program he has been hosting since 2007. It’s thanks to the show that he found out about Arsenal, a contemporary art gallery in Griffintown.

“Since then, I often go to the gallery to see what’s new in the world of contemporary art,” he explains. “Being there affords me a nice break from my hectic work schedule. Arsenal is hip and very much in tune with local contemporary artists. Housed in a heritage building, which in itself is a work of art, the gallery is located in a fast-growing neighbourhood. It makes you feel like you’re in New York or London. Personally, I just love their Division Gallery.” Although he managed an art gallery for several years, Gino sometimes has a hard time understanding contemporary works. “I don’t always understand or love everything that’s exhibited at Arsenal, but I make a point of reflecting on the artistic process,” he adds.

He also strives to share this understanding with his children, aged five and eight, when he takes them to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. “When kids are young, they are very receptive to art, especially brightly coloured paintings. My kids love Riopelle’s Le canot à glace. At the end of our outings, I always ask them what their favourite work of art was and we talk about their choice. I always enjoy going back there, even just for a quick visit, to revisit the great Québécois painters, like the Automatistes and the Plasticiens. The venue is warm and comforting, like a good cup of coffee.”

Family outings
This fall, Gino is making a point of taking in a few shows with his family. “I would like to see l’Orchestre de la planète X, a presentation of Place des Arts’ Maison symphonique de Montréal taking place on Sunday, October 4. Two actors portray aliens who have taken over the orchestra. Last year, I took my daughter to see a 15-year-old pianist’s concert. Since she takes piano lessons, I wanted to show her what hard work and talent can achieve. She was really impressed,” says the former cultural reporter of TQS’ Grand Journal de Québec.

Maison Théâtre is also one of his children’s favourite venues. “The plays shown there are aimed at very specific age groups, from three to six, four to seven, and six to ten. You can pick a play to match the interests and age of your kids. Our family will surely go see Créatures, which runs from October 7 to the 17th. It is an instrumental piece for kids in preschool to grade 2.”

Time alone
When asked if he will take time this fall to partake in activities he loves, the devoted father replied that he practically never has time to go out in the evenings because of the demands of his work as a television host. “I have to be up very early in the morning, so going to bed late is not an option for me,” Gino explains. “But, I nonetheless would really like to see Théâtre du Nouveau Monde’s (TNM) presentation of Moby Dick, from September 22 to October 17. Adapted by Bryan Perro and Dominic Champagne, and starring the great Normand D’Amour as Captain Ahab, this promises to be a fantastic show. I have fond memories of the TNM: when I was a student at Conservatoire Lassalle, I attended a showing of The Venetian Twins, starring Normand Chouinard. It was great!”