ÉTAT LIBRE 
July 9 to August 3, 2025

Artwork by Marc-Olivier Lamothe

Summer has finally arrived: time to breathe, play, and slow down. This exhibition of local artisans and businesses celebrates the imagination of childhood, freedom, and happiness. Come meet local creators, who will be present in rotation to welcome you, share their process, and pass on their passion for creating.

Introducing the exhibitors’ worlds:

The exhibition showcases the work of local designers whose approach focuses on quality and innovation in the everyday use of objects. The selected exhibitors embody know-how, originality, durability and a contemporary aesthetic.

• La Fée Raille: Colorful fabric toys designed, printed and sewn in Montreal by Anne Chalifoux, inspired by joyful themes such as parties, picnics and summer.

• Marc-Olivier Lamothe: A multidisciplinary visual artist, Marc-Olivier Lamothe's colorful, playful world of abstract forms, naïve creatures and fragments of nature awakens the imagination and rekindles the inner child.
  

• Fabli: Fabli is a screenless console that combines an interactive audio player with a world of play. Designed and manufactured in Québec.

• Blass: Founded by Sarla Blass, this emerging company offers children's fashion with a unique style: original, accessible and locally made clothing inspired by modern art and past decades.

• MIAM: A children’s magazine that explores the wonderful world of food and invites children to discover what we eat from every angle: origins, botany, cooking and stories.
• Caribou: Sustainable caps designed and made in Montréal from linen, a natural fiber that's resistant, comfortable and eco-responsible.
  
  

Exhibition details

• Dates : July 9 to August 3, 2025

• Location : PARI PASSU - 470 B, avenue Duluth Est, Montréal (H2L 1A5)

• Opening hours:

  Wednesday to Friday:
  12 pm - 6 pm

  Saturday and Sunday:
  11 am - 5 pm
  

Activity Schedule
Meet the artisans and take part in our workshops!

Saturday, July 12

🕛 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Marc-Olivier Lamothe — Live Painting
FREE
Starting at noon, come meet artist Marc-Olivier Lamothe, who will be performing a live painting session outside... on our parasols! A unique opportunity to watch him create before your eyes, chat with him, and immerse yourself in his world where graphic poetry, freeform shapes, and a vivid imagination collide. A special moment to witness art being made up close!

Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13

🕚 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
La Fée Raille — Personalized Button Badge Workshop
FREE
Starting at noon, La Fée Raille invites you to a creative workshop where you can make your own fabric button badge from your drawings. Every participant will leave with a badge they can use to decorate a bag or a shirt.

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Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20
Miam Magazine — Launch of Issue No. 10: La Cerise

To celebrate the launch of its new issue La Cerise, Miam Magazine invites children to a creative and playful all the Week-end!

Saturday, July 19 
🕑 3 PM to 5 PM
Author André Marois will enchant the audience with a spicy reading — a poetic and flavorful tale about food, imagination, and creativity. Story reading in French.

Sunday, July 20
🕑 11 AM to 5 PM
Children will join illustrator Romain Blais for a drawing workshop to imagine the next magazine cover. They’ll be free to draw and celebrate the world of food.

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Saturday, July 26

Jeudi 24 et vendredi 25 juillet
🕚 12:00 PM h to 6:00 PM
Samedi 26 et dimanche 27 juillet
🕚 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Marc-Olivier Lamothe — Live Video Mapping Performance
FREE
Montréal-based artist Marc-Olivier Lamothe will take over the Pari Passu space with a live video mapping performance. Using animated projections on the walls, his illustrations will come to life and interact with one another to create a truly poetic visual experience.

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Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1

🕛 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Blass — Give New Life to Your Favorite Garment
Workshop fee: $15 per item (maximum of 3 items), free for blass pieces.
Sarla Blass, the designer behind blass, will be at the Pari Passu gallery with her sewing machine, ready to transform your worn-out clothes into unique pieces. Come by, chat with her, and enjoy a creative fashion experience focused on children’s clothing. Bring a damaged, stained, or torn piece—it will be repaired and turned into a one-of-a-kind blass creation.
Nothing is lost, everything is transformed... and worn again!

Please note
– Children's clothing only.
– This is a creative workshop led by a designer, not a tailoring or alteration service. Please, no pant hems or custom requests.
– Some fabrics or cuts require special tools. We recommend bringing a few options to ensure the best results. Blass reserves the right to refuse any garment she cannot repair.
When to pick up your items?
You’ll be contacted as soon as they’re ready. You have until August 3 to pick them up.

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Saturday, August and Sunday, August 3
Fabli - Interactive story and launch of a brand new game concept

To mark the launch of its new game, Fabli is inviting children to a fun and creative two-part event.
Saturday, August 2
🕚 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Fabli — Interactive Storytelling
Fabli presents a storytelling workshop designed to spark children's imagination and curiosity. Through an animated and participatory reading, kids will follow an interactive story filled with multiple-choice paths. Their ideas, desires, and sense of adventure will shape the narrative. A collective experience where words come to life through everyone's imagination. A gentle and inspiring workshop to discover the joy of reading, inventing, and deciding together.
FREE

Sunday, August 3
🕚 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Launch of the new Fabli game concept. Come and discover, play and take part in the big competition! 3 winners:
- 1 Fabli and 1 Caribou x Fabli cap
- 1 Fabli
- 1 Caribou x Fabli cap
FREE