Semer Montréal

Mix digital art and food? Why not. By agreeing to collaborate with digital artist Fred Trétout, the Système alimentaire montréalais, or SAM, wanted to promote healthy eating across the island of Montréal. In partnership with Printemps numérique, the artist and the organization both took part in one of the five 2016 DigiLabs, research and

creation laboratories held within Montréal organizations.

Semer Montréal: a creation by Fred Trétout. Genetic heritage is at theheart of Semer Montréal, a work by Trétout that combines digital-art video and an interactive touch interface while also responding to a concrete need for the organization: educating users about healthy eating. Semer Montréal: an

opportunity to celebrate. On October

4, a creative 5-to-7 was held at Brasseur de Montréal on Berri Street to celebrate the project and discover the result of this innovative pairing between an organization and an artist. Fred Trétout and

skills in motion design,

Trétout, former artistic director at Space&Dream, created a touch interface that provides information about three types of plants that grow in Montréal: the Three Sisters, beans, squash and corn; muskmelon; and tomato. By clicking one of the three images, visitors discover a short history of that seed and a place where it can be found on the island of Montréal. These locations are stored as participants try the interface, gradually building a kind of seed library, a grainothèque. The sumptuous images in this creation reflect Trétout’s impressive work. At the very end of the seed’s journey, a few finger gestures on the screen allow users to dig in the soil and plant the seed. Playful and simple. Now, our partners will begin to get to know the work,

said Ghalia

Chahine of SAM. Presenting food through [le format de] digital art is very innovative; people are not used to it. They need time to see how digital works can raise awareness about food. DigiLabs web page. For full details, consult the related page, event page, exhibition page and partner

links provided here.