Jennifer Robinson 

Creative. Lively. Fun. Great idea. Love it. Too many. Kind of kitsch. Lots of different viewpoints but the one thing everyone agrees on is that Brome Lake’s new Les Articulés contest, which puts 56 unique mannequin-art pieces on display around Knowlton, is creating excitement and lots of buzz. 

The contest is the initiative of Michel Gamache, owner of Art Lab 341 in Knowlton, and Lucie Jolicoeur, owner of Jolicoeur International, a supplier of high-quality mannequins, who had some surplus mannequins. Together, and with the help of Town of Brome Lake, they came up with the idea, launched the contest and called for local artists to turn the mannequins into works of art. 

The response from artists was overwhelming, Gamache said. And the quality of the artistic creation is remarkable, he said. The contest is a first, an experiment on several fronts. How will the mannequins withstand the elements? Sadly, one mannequin was stolen, and Gamache is hopeful that it will be returned. Other than that, so far, everything else has been nothing but positive, he said. 

The mannequins are on display until September. The idea was to create a special tourist attraction in town, and to showcase the 56 local artists and depth of talent in the region. There are three big prizes. A panel of judges will select first and second prize winners ($1000 and $500 respectively). The artist whose mannequin receives the most votes will also receive $500. Winners will be announced Sept 7. 

It is easy to vote for your favorite. Just scan the QR code on tag attached to each display, or vote online at https://lacbrome.ca/concours-les-articules/