Film director Wes Anderson would have felt perfectly at home during Le Bal du Musée on September 19, one of Montreal’s must-do fall fetes in support of the city’s contemporary art gallery. The event, which this year welcomed 800 guests, took its inspiration from hotels, specifically old world examples like the one depicted in Anderson’s 2014 film, The Grand Budapest Hotel. A 41,000-squarefoot shipyard-turned-galleryspace called Arsenal, owned by contemporary art collectors Pierre and Anne-Marie Trahan, was a fitting location for guests to check in for the evening (or check out, depending on how you look at things), as the museum – which typically hosts the event within its downtown walls – was busy preparing for upcoming exhibitions on the work of New York-based Dana Schutz, and Quebecois artist Patrick Bernatchez, both of which open October 17 and run though January 2016.
Upon entering the nondescript building, guests made their way through stark white corridors lined with an abundance of palm trees with florescent bulbs propped in their soil, while young bellman, with pencil-thin painted-on mustachios, stood like sculptures with mid-century hard-sided luggage in hand. Below them, table numbers printed on hotel key toggles were doled out. The seemingly mundane act of checking in and securing your table number was an event in its own right. Champagne followed and was flowing as guests had a chance to view the art on display (as well as what everyone else was wearing), including sculptural works by Patrick Coutu (who was in attendance) and a massive, selfie-inducing stainless steel piece by Nicolas Baier, both contemporary artists of Montreal origin.
The raunchy side often associated with hotels was certainly suggested; dinner was called by coquettish young women in barely-there French maid uniforms. Later, a performance took place, beginning on an elevated and perfectly made bed that became progressively ruffled by dinner’s end. The tables were occupied by black-and-white attired guests (save for a few exceptions, including business executive and arts minded philanthropist Stephen Bronfman, who wore an oil-slick print Tom Ford tuxedo jacket, and one guest in a bright tangerine number), who collectively raised in excess of $700,000 for the institution. The museum is currently revelling in the attendance– record breaking show of the work of David Altmejd (his sister, Sarah Altmejd, who has inspired works by her brother, was in attendance wearing a standout champagne sheath by Vivienne Westwood).
Among the other art-loving guests checking in to this no-occupancy inn: my host, Birks Group Inc. CEO Jean-Christophe Bedos and his wife, Arianna, as well as vice-president of marketing and communications, Eva Hartling; and my table-mates, Manulife's Jeronimo De Miguel, film producer Robin Turak, who attended with Clarence Epstein, Concordia’s senior director of urban and cultural affairs, and talent manager and content developer Kathi Ziolkowski.
Also in attendance: fashion designers including Denis Gagnon, and José Manuel St-Jacques and Simon Bélanger of the label UNTTLD; Montrealbased artist Miles Greenberg, who floated around in a silk kimono and paper fan; Sunlife Financial executive chair and senior vice-president of client solutions, Isabelle Hudon; honourary co-chairs including Guy Côté, National Bank Financial’s portfolio manager and senior vice-president, Alexandre L’Heureux, WSP Global Inc.’s chief financial officer and Sid Lee chairman Bertrand Cesvet; and the event’s co-chairs, Alexandre Taillefer, chair of the Musée board, François Dufresne, president of the Fondation du Musée, John Zeppetelli, director and chief curator of the Musée and Debbie Zakaib, chair of the event’s steering committee.
In typical Montreal gala fashion, the celebratory mood hit an all-time high after course number four; jackets were quickly tossed onto the backs of chairs and hair was placed in ponytails as guests eagerly hit the dance floor. Cigarettes were in every bathroom for the taking, presented on trays with boxed matches. Needless to say, when I eventually returned to the reality of my actual hotel, it paled in comparison.
