Before VOX became a hub for contemporary image-based research, it was Vox Populi—a grassroots initiative born out of 1980s youth activism and unemployment. Founded in 1985 by Marcel Blouin and Lucie Bureau, the organization emerged from the Collectif des jeunes sans-emploi de Saint-Louis-du-Parc during a period when youth unemployment in Quebec soared to alarming levels. What began as social advocacy quickly evolved into a cultural platform using photography and print as tools of resistance. Early projects like Sans honte et sans emploi toured widely, challenging stereotypes about the jobless and documenting working-class realities.
By the late ’80s, Vox Populi had shifted its mandate entirely to photography, helping launch Ciel variable magazine and initiating the first Mois de la Photo à Montréal in 1989. From collective activism to curatorial innovation, VOX has maintained its founding spirit of engagement and experimentation—only now, it’s operating on a museum-grade scale inside the 2-22 building, anchoring its practice in research-led exhibition-making that views the image as a complex, post-media phenomenon.
Mentioned in
A curated guide to best art galleries in Montreal
From artist-run spaces and apartments to institutions shaping the market, this guide maps out vital art galleries in Montreal to see contemporary and historical works.
Buy-right. Shop local. Support small business. Choose from a hand-picked selection of prints from local photographers, makers and artisans.
Want to know what’s happening in Montreal?
We curate local content into a weekly news bulletin so you can find out what’s going on around town in one place. Sign up to stay informed.