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.
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
CUFO creation residencies
Three interdisciplinary group residencies have brought artists together at CUFO to create collaboratively, each leading into the Festival des Arts Entrelacés in Tio'tia:ke/Montréal.
Festival des Arts Entrelacés ↗Forêt Curieuse research residency
With Concordia's Sustainability Action Fund, Indigenous Elders, artists and scholars spent two weeks building relationships with the non-human relations and each other.
Photos: Élisabeth Bergeron
First gatherings
A knowledge-sharing weekend
In collaboration with 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.
Sustainability
Living and creating lightly with the forest, the lake and every non-human relation that calls this land home.
Reconciliation
A step toward returning stewardship of this land to Indigenous hands — reconciliation in practice, not only in words.
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.
Past residencies
Moments from CUFO
With gratitude
For all our relations
Our heartfelt thanks to Isaac Smeele and Silvia Morrison for their expertise in designing, building and supporting the construction of this residency.
We honour Opa, whose lifelong hard work made it possible to build this land back residency against all odds.
Thank you to the community of artists and activists who have supported the project from the early days of dreaming and clearing logs to today — through residency management, grantwriting and community outreach.
A huge thanks to Joseph Naytowhow, Yvonne Chamakese, Moe Clark, Barbara Diabo, Sam Ojeda, Chato Renerivas, Ujarak Appadoo, The Mohawk Mothers, and Brie-Ana Laboucane for trusting us to create this space alongside them, for the benefit of all our relations.
Stay with us. Support the land.
Contact
Ask about future residencies and workshops
Artists interested in future residencies, gatherings and workshops at Forêt Curieuse — write to us.