© Alexandre Claude
© Georges Fok
Phoebe Greenberg
Diametrically opposed to the Paris Hiltons of this world, Phoebe Greenberg is among a select group of wealthy heirs who have made it their mission to transform gold into art by supporting innovative high-quality projects steeped in audacity. In addition to being an action-focused businesswoman, this humble and passionate patron of the arts wields her influence by fostering the development of creative and distribution hubs, forging powerful ties with the local and international artistic communities and bringing together different cultures, technologies, artists and audiences.
Ms. Greenberg's noble ambitions no doubt stem from the fact that, along with her fortune, she inherited something even more significant: a set of social and community values, together with the soul of a feminist fighter and a highly creative spirit. She cultivated her creativity in various fields (cinema, visual arts and performing arts) prior to founding DHC/ART, followed by the Phi Centre. These bohemian palaces reflect her own personal style: versatile, multi-disciplinary and unifying, solidly anchored in Old Montréal but resolutely turned towards the future; they both remain human in their scale. Open to the public and bathed in natural light, these institutions also embrace new technologies and host exhibitions by key contemporary creative figures from around the world while providing the next generation with the tools they need to create the art of tomorrow. Denis Villeneuve was among those up-and-coming artists; his short film Next Floor, produced by madame Greenberg, won awards in numerous festivals around the world, including Cannes'.
This text was read in French on May 29, 2017, when Ms Greenberg received the honorary insignia of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec. Held at the Phi Centre in Montréal, the tribute was organized by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and hosted by Claude Deschênes.