Nicolas Fonseca
Multimedia artist
Born and raised in Greater Montreal.
I still remember spending time with my paternal grandfather in Trás-os-Montes… The first question was always: “Yes, but what are we going to eat?” It was always that need to defined the day between what we’re going to eat and what will follow after our meal… That aspect really influenced me and developed my fascination with food – Nicolas Fonseca.
Nicolas Fonseca, or Mister Jaune, is a prolific and award-winning multi-platform producer, director, and curator based in Montreal, where he was born. His extensive work has explored conventional film and television productions, online digital media, interactive trans-platform storytelling, and most recently art installations and curated food gatherings. While informed by multiple sources and personal experiences, his Portuguese background has been an important source for his creativity.
Biography
Nicolas Fonseca (or Mister Jaune) was born in 1978 in Montreal and grew up in a multicultural suburb of the city. The son of immigrants from Trás-os-Montes, a northeastern region of mainland Portugal, Nicolas spent almost every summer there as a child. He spent a great deal of time at his paternal grandparents’ farm, where he developed an appreciation for growing and nurturing food. Those were formative experiences for Nicolas, who developed a sense of plurality informed by the frequent “cultural shock” of travelling between suburban Montreal and rural Trás-os-Montes.
Nicolas was involved with Montreal’s Portuguese community in his youth, including hosting a show on Radio Centre-Ville dedicated on modern Portuguese music. In the early 2000s, he completed a degree in communication studies at Concordia University. Afterwards, he worked in film and television industry, producing several films. His 2006 documentary Bien Mélanger, which he wrote and directed. reflected on his Portuguese-Canadian identity, featured in the DocLisboa festival. In 2009 he co-produced with Spike Jonze the film Vital Signs, which won 15 prizes around the world. Nicolas also produced the documentary series Made in Montreal, showcasing neighbourhoods, artists, and other makers in the city. The series won 28 awards, including the Cyber Lion at Cannes and Best Show at SXSW. Nicola’s career developed at the same time that the world was shifting towards digital media, which prompted him to focus on online media, including the projects Ekimondo, Artfox, and Muvmedia. He also produced the interactive transmedia romantic comedy Émilie, winner of the Gemeau Award for Best Interactive Series.
Nicola combined his interest and experience with multi-platforms and non-linear storytelling with his love of food to develop art installations consisting of curating social experiences for large groups gathered around food. His installation projects include the Maple Syrup Chandelier, presented at the G7 meeting in Charlevoix; Assembly Dinner Kit; In the Mouth; Gâteaugraphy; Banquet Exquis; Pollination Room; Cake; and Food Jenga.
Hora dos Portugueses
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