Land back residency · Brownsburg-Chatham, Québec

Forêt Curieuse

A residency built by artists, mothers, activists, Elders, and dreams — dedicated to sustainability, reconciliation and cross-cultural collaboration.

The project

Researching, together, what a residency on this land should be.

Our goal is to research and collaborate with Indigenous artists, Elders and plant experts to create a residency grounded in sustainability, reconciliation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Every stay at the chalet supports this work and local reconciliatory initiatives.

Created by

Mossy Society

A Tio'tia:ke/Montréal artist and activist collective using celebration and creativity to contribute to reparative action — at the intersection of clowning, contemporary dance, theatre, technology and socially engaged art.

A merging of artists, teachers, philosophers, researchers and students, the collective builds costumes, props and sets from recycled materials whenever possible, and actively seeks Indigenous and cultural minority involvement.

Current priorities: offering nature space for artmaking to Indigenous artists, creating interdisciplinary residencies and events, and pushing for a housing-first model that centres the un/derhoused Indigenous community in Tio'tia:ke/Montréal.

mossysociety.org ↗

The land

Backed by three kilometres of wild forest.

Beavers can often be seen and heard playing in the lake where they live. The forest is rich with edible fungi like Laetiporus and Boletinellus merulioides.

Massive black cherry trees, maples and ash thrive here, and ancient moss-covered stones are everywhere. Its beauty and seclusion make it an ideal home for this residency.

Residency history

Where we've been

2023
CUFO creation residency
The first artists gather at CUFO to create together.
July 1–14, 2024
Forêt Curieuse research residency
With Concordia's Sustainability Action Fund, Indigenous Elders, artists and scholars spend two weeks building relationships with the non-human relations and each other.
July 19–21, 2024
Anti-colonial curriculum weekend
The Indigenous artists lead a program for Concordia contemporary dance faculty. Next: other departments and a field school for Concordia students.

First gatherings

A knowledge-sharing weekend

In collaboration with Lilia Maestre and Concordia's Contemporary Dance department, we're organizing a weekend workshop retreat at CUFO where Indigenous artists share their knowledge around teaching, anti-colonial education and creativity.

The first of many — the research embodied here will trickle down to the students of the dance department.

01

Sustainability

Living and creating lightly with the forest, the lake and every non-human relation that calls this land home.

02

Reconciliation

A step toward returning stewardship of this land to Indigenous hands — reconciliation in practice, not only in words.

03

Cross-cultural collaboration

Indigenous artists, Elders and plant experts working alongside students, faculty and neighbours. We listen first.

The spaces

Rooms to make, move and rest

Two writing studios
Smaller, quiet rooms for writing and reflection.

Two large studios
Each with its own art space and a separate mezzanine sleeping area.

Open living room
An open-concept space used for movement work during group residencies.

Recording studio & guest room
A basement recording studio, plus an additional guest room (still unfinished).

Into the community

From the forest to the public sphere

Work created during the residencies will be shared with local galleries and festivals, including our Festival des Arts Entrelacés (FAE) in Tio'tia:ke/Montréal, which hosts a 10-day collaborative interdisciplinary residency leading into the annual festival.