DARLING FOUNDRY: ART IN THE CITY

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The Darling Foundry – yes, it was once a foundry – is one of Montreal’s famous art spaces. My favourite urban legend is that a feng shui master once visited this abandoned space during its transformation into a gallery and said ‘’there was great heat here once.’’  The gallery is still hot today – one of the city’s most famed alternative galleries. Located on Ottawa Street, the current exhibit shows two expositions:  one by Luis Jacob, and also in situ works that unite this street from east to west and includes Griffintown, a charming area threatened by urban development. This is where the lovely, big horses hide in their little stables, waiting for their calèches or sleds.

The artists have tried to humanize the area already covered with concrete. The works are also at the two viaducts beneath the Bonaventure Highway. Take a knapsack, have a picnic.  Walk the sites.  How refreshing to have art ‘exposed’ like this:  a mixture of past and present for your reflection.  My favourite is particularly  in the aftermath of Grand Prix parties:  a phantom car – complete with a red carpet, rolling out of nowhere.

Darling Foundry, 745 Ottawa Street

514-392-1554

www.fonderiedarling.org.

Wednesday to Sunday 12 – 7 pm, Thursday until 10 pm.

Hungry? Step away from the building.  Walk around the corner to trendy Cluny Art Bar.  Great food.  Great tables.  Great conversation, as one sits in mis-matched chairs next to artists, ceos and mothers – depending on the moment.

Cluny Art Bar.  257 Prince Street   514-866-1213

Monday to Friday 8 am – 5 pm

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