From massive to subtle, steel to concrete, defiant to downright wacky, Montreal has some pretty awesome Public Art. The majority of which was commissioned by the city of Montreal, but a few are private pieces given as gifts to the city. Some have become landmarks, where tourists gather to click picture after picture, while some have slowly become integrated with the surrounding space. Montreal has hundreds of public pieces, so I will only cover a few of the major pieces and some personal favourites.

Picnik Electronik under Man, Three Discs.

Parc Jean Drapeau is like a sculpture garden, with incredible pieces by international artists sprinkled throughout the cluster of islands. One of the most famous pieces of public art in Canada is Man,Three Discs located on the north shore of Ile Sainte-Helene. You might recognize it as the giant metal spider thingy that stands over the crowds that form during Piknik Elektronik. What these partiers might not realize is that they are standing under the most valuable piece of art in Canada, valued at 50 million dollars! Alexander Calder, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, created it in 1967 for Expo 67. The abstract sculpture was a gift from the International Nickel Company, reflecting the World Fair’s theme “Man and His World”.

L'Arc by Michel de Broin

The most recent addition to the art of Parc Jean-Drapeau is L’Arc by Michel de Broin. Inaugurated on September 11^th, 2009 it was built in honor of Chilean president Salvador Allende who died in 1973. The sculpture is made to look like a tree growing up and curving right back down into the ground. This is to symbolize one’s desire to return to their roots. It is made out of ultra-high performance concrete, and sits in the Floralies Garden, on Ile Notre-Dame.

Michel de Broin has created numerous installations around Montreal. He’s actually responsible for creating two of my favourites, Revolutions and Entrelacement.

Revolutions by Michel de Broin

Revolutions was commissioned by the city of Montreal in 2003 and sits in Parc Maisonneuve-Cartier. This work is a giant aluminum staircase that curves and twists itself into an infinite loop. This piece is meant to express a unique part of Montreal’s identity: the curved staircases of the Plateau and Mile End! According to the artist, it also “takes us through an infinite cycle of revolutions, where, from one transformation to the next, all that rises comes down again.”

Entrelacement by Michel de Broin

Entrelacement by Michel de Broin is by far my favourite in Montreal. It’s unimposing and quirky and usually leaves people scratching their heads. Located along Canal Lachine, the bike path suddenly juts off and becomes a chaotic loop of asphalt. It was designed to “rupture the rationality of urban landscaping.” I think it’s just hilarious, as I was quite stumped by it when I first moved to Montreal.

Mural by Zilon

The Gay Village is another area of Montreal that has some cool installations. One of Montreal’s most famous graffiti artists is Zilon. He paints graffiti faces with a futuristic alien vibe. You can find Zilon faces keeping permanent watch over the Village on the corner of St. Catherine and Montcalm.

Aire Banque National

The space on Wolfe and St. Catherine in the Village hosts a new installation every edition of Aires Libres. This year is an installation called Aire Banque National that was created by Paprika Studios. Letters on poles seemingly say nonsense, but when viewed from a very specific angle, it all lines up and deliver a powerful message! Head on down and see if you can decode…

Les chuchoteuses by Rose Aimée Boulanger

Last but not least is the iconic “fat ladies talking statue”. A favourite of tourists that walk on Rue St. Paul, it has become a must to pose with this bronze sculpture, or recreate it on a near by bench. It’s actual name is Les chuchoteuses, created by Rose-Aimée Belanger. What people probably don’t know is that this is NOT a public piece of art, but belongs to the gallery Saint-Dizier, located directly across the street (24 Saint Paul West). Even more, these buxom bronze beauties are for sale! For a rumoured $75,000 and a forklift, you could takeLes chuchoteuses home today. But that really would be a crime, because they’ve become local celebrities!

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The window of the gallery is an exact replica of the paint store next door. The signage is meticulously the same, but backwards! Like an Alice in Wonderland mirror image. The only difference: everything is white and made with recycled materials.

Articule does not disappoint and always has something entertaining – and thought provoking.

Until August 1, 2010
Articule, 262 Fairmount West (just off Park)
(514) 842-9686

www.articule.org
Hungry? Across the street is the cool Tredici13, a hip Italian delicatessen, open every day from early (the best coffee!) to late (10 pm)
275 Fairmont. (514) 509-1341
www.tredici3.com

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The stories behind the city’s vast collection of public art are often as interesting and varied as the pieces themselves. But let’s be honest: once you’ve seen the thing, then what? Look at it again? For this pragmatic reason, I’ve picked out some my favourites and included something you can do nearby….

Man, Three Disks by Alexander Calder : Calder’s towering stainless steel structure is over 20 meters high and, while entirely crass of me to mention, is worth an estimated 50 million dollars. Its location on Parc Jean-Drapeau is also where the Piknik Elektronik events are held, meaning you and the sprawling sculpture will be able to dance through the afternoon and into the night together.

Monument to Émile Nelligan by Roseline Granet : The bronze bust that sits on a base of limestone and granite was created in large part because of a push by the Fondation Émile-Nelligan, the cultural organization named after the famed Montreal poet. It’s location in St. Louis Square near St-Denis means there are no shortage of things to do nearby, but the incredible Victorian houses that line the park are worth stopping to check out (St. Louis Square, montreal )

Nave For Fourteen Queens by Rose-Marie Goulet : This monument made of granite, steel and grass was created to remember the victims of the 1989 École Polytechnique shooting in Montréal. Located near the school, its purpose is to  “forcefully evoke their names, so that everyone who passes by may read them, repeat them and never forget them.” It doesn’t feel appropriate to mention its proximity to a cute coffee shop, so click the link above to read a conversation with Goulet about the shooting and her work.

Revolutions by Michel de Broin : This Escher-like aluminum ode to Montreal’s distinctive curved staircases is one of my favourites in the city.

If you’re interested in finding out some more, click on this round up of Public Art in Montreal

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