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CRÉDITS PHOTO LES GARÇONS, MUSÉE IMAGINARIUM & INSTAGRAM USERS

BEHIND THE SCENE

What is the Imaginarium Museum ?

"Each room is designed to inspire and amaze, allowing visitors to tell unique stories through captivating photos. In this artistic world, each universe is a canvas where one can get lost, moving from a tropical forest to an art deco universe, stopping in downtown Montreal or diving into a pool of poutine. The imaginative settings encourage both young and old to immerse themselves in each scene and play inspiring roles."

Magda Slezak, the instigator of the project

PHOTOGRAPHES : LES GARÇONS

The space

Located in Griffintown, the Imaginarium Museum opened its doors on July 19th in the historic building nicknamed the “Flat Iron Building of Montreal.” This 4,500 square foot space is now dedicated to creativity and wonder.

The Imaginarium Museum is the result of the vision of Magda Slezak, founder of Magenta Photo and Le Petit Dep, who wanted to create a collection of immersive, eclectic settings.

Magda Slezak entrusted the project to Léa Valérie Letourneau, an artist and visual designer whose expertise in cinema, interior design, and photography enabled the creation of distinct experiences in each universe. Passionate about collaborating with other creators, Léa Valérie leveraged her network to elevate the Imaginarium Museum experience to a level where industry professionals recognize its artistic value and attention to detail.

She invited none other than her esteemed colleague Élisabeth Williams, a renowned visual designer, to collaborate on the design and development of this extraordinary project.

Joining the team was François Xavier Leblanc, an architect and senior set designer for major productions. He designed the layout and, from the very first draft, we knew that despite the constraints of this century-old space, we had the solution to create an extraordinary experience.

PLAN DE CONCEPTION PAR FRANÇOIS XAVIER LEBLANC

The mandate

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Imagine-Nation

The Imaginarium Museum could have been called the “Imagine-Nation Museum,” an idea born from the desire to transform each universe into a set inspired by a Québec artist, revealing the creative backstage through their eyes. One year after opening, this is still the mission I’m pursuing, and as a kind of curator, I am actively seeking artists to collaborate with—artists who can reshape the museum’s DNA and guide it toward this intended direction.

In the fall of 2025, we unveiled two new artists whom I supported in the creation of their respective “universes.” These collaborations mark a turning point. More than ever, the Imaginarium Museum is becoming a living space where artists reinvent the medium of the ego-portrait!

Le Karaoké des coeurs brisés of Pony

The artist and designer Pony (Gabrielle Laïla Tittley), colorful, funny, and sincere, imagined with us the “Karaoké des cœurs brisés”: a real karaoke of sad songs, surrounded by plush toys to cuddle. A playful take on the failures of modern dating! I supported her in translating her ideas by proposing the design and sketching the space by her side. Thanks to artificial intelligence, I also had the opportunity to refine her vision to ensure that every detail remained true to her intentions. I then oversaw the construction and the creation of the accessories, while continuously checking with her that the result matched her expectations. The most “complex” element of this project was creating a karaoke model that was both visually adapted to the museum and fully functional. Thanks to my colleague Marc-Olivier Houle, we found the right software and technical equipment so that the result would be well integrated and enjoyable to use!

Mephisto Bates
in résidence

L’artiste visuel Mephisto Bates a, quant à lui, complètement transformé un ancien décor de la première édition de l’Imaginarium en une œuvre vibrante, éclatée et fièrement québécoise. Dans ce contexte, j’ai simplement procédé à la remise en blanc de tout le décor afin de lui permettre de commencer sur un canevas vierge. La métamorphose illustre parfaitement la mission du musée : rendre visibles les artistes d’ici et faire du décor un terrain d’expression pour l’imaginaire collectif.

The Creative Team

This collection of installations was designed by artists working professionally in the film set design and professional photography industries. To realise our vision, we've assembled an amazing team of local creators! One could say that Imaginarium is a tribute to the artisans working behind the scenes. Carpenters, painters, upholsterers, glaziers, decorators, props makers, steamtresses, lighting designers, graphic artists and muralists...EVERYONE worked together to create this unique space. We hope that as this evolving collection will inspire you to come back and explore the new installations we will keep on curating to offer you more whimsical visual experiences.

Producer : Magda Slezak (Magenta Photo / Le Petit Dep

Designer Collaborator : Élisabeth William

Set Designer : François Xavier Leblanc
These artists who take this project to the next level:

Dan Buller, Edward Maloney, Jason Wasserman, Romain Boz.

Set Designer Additionnal : Julia Calon

Project Manager Additionnal : Clément Julhes

Construction : Construction D360

Head Carpenter : Michel Sainte-Marie

Carpenter on location : François

Scenic Painting : Atelier Kaotik

Head Painter : Dany Lussier

Painters : Mérédith Hébert, Sophie Paquette, Ronan Aguillaume, Sebatien

AD Assistant / Decorators : Karine Sabourin, Roxanne Chagnon, Aurelie Stanic, Camille Pilon, Ian Vandewalle, Catherine Larose

Set Dressers : Michèle Laroche, Patrice Delvaux, François Gascon, Eduardo Santibanez

Lighting Technicien : Jean-François Daviau

Light Making Assistant : Christian Daviau

Upholster : Sofia Feijoo

Upholster & Poutine Maker : Geneviève Parent

Seamstress : Guy Lussier

Neon Confection : Philippe de Néon Global

Graphic Design : Carl Lessard

Electrician : David Tremblay

This was my first commercial project. Thank you, Magda, for believing in us and in this project, custom-created to complement your wonderful businesses, Magenta Photo and Le Petit Dep.

Thank you to your entire team for supporting us: Clément, Antoine, Chantal, Elyse, and all the baristas who probably served us a thousand coffees in the last two months.

What an adventure!

DISCOVER THE IMAGINARIUM MUSEUM INSTAGRAM HERE

2025 PONY & MEPHISTO TEAM:

Art Direction: Lea Valerie Letourneau

Accessory and Plush Creation: Geneviève Parent

Karaoke Interface: Marc-Olivier Houle

Art Direction Support: Marzia Pellissier

Assistant Art Director: Karine Sabourin

Construction: Coupé Carré (Cynthia Carrier)

Scenic Painting: Dany Lussier

Graphic Design: Reid Jenkins

Set Technicians: Patrice Delvaux, Nicolas Privé, Michèle Laroche