We, the River

Presented in collaboration with

The St. Lawrence River is an essential part of Quebec’s past and present history. It is the backbone of the province. It structures our space and our imagination both geographically and symbolically. To propose a layover program centered around the river requires me to first provide certain foundations in order to map out the subject. A second step would be an invitation to question our relation to the river, to doubt, and inevitably to dream. A voyage that promises an obfuscation of history and territory at its epilogue.

We will begin by visiting works that recount the history of the river and examine its perilous territory. Frederic Back’s The Mighty River should be part of the school curriculum for every student in Quebec, as far as I’m concerned. It synthesizes the natural and historical narrative of the river and places us on an equal footing with it. From there, we can commence the journey with a common story; and since it is a river trail, it is only appropriate to navigate it. And who better to steer the path than the famous Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau? St. Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea takes us along the river, where we can concurrently explore its depths and fly under its bank. This journey will allow us to grasp the physical scope of the river as well as its stormy character. We find that the river’s history and that of its residents is also one of storms and shipwrecks.

Claire Legendre’s Bermuda (North) comes, at this stage, to situate the river in a context of discovery and the unknown for those who venture into its most remote areas. Its few inhabitants are exiles seeking a form of healing far from the hustle and bustle of the city. In Vanishing Point, the river, now a gulf, surrounds the Magdalen Islands and threatens to flood them forever. Young Madelinots reflect aloud on the perils of climate change. Here, the forces of nature appear much greater than those of men. Offshore, the population is sparse and the elements are all-powerful.

Then, Archipelago brings this layover to a close by sketching the vibrant and sensitive traits of a history that is written with every breath taken and each sentence spoken. Here, the river doesn’t seem to have breathed its last. Who will be the next navigators, the next castaways, the next to say “we”?