Montreal, rainy and sunny

Journal of a gadabout (4). by  Dr. A. Remesar

The visit to Montreal, a great city for walking and with a superb urban mobility system, could focus on one of the iconic elements that are part of the image of the city, most of them associated with mayor Jean Drapeau.

Of the Expo 1967, apart from some artificial island and the metro, Montreal retains the “Habitat 67” building which is a model community and housing complex designed by Israeli / Canadian architect Moshe Safdie.

Of the Olympic Summer Games 1976 we highlight the multi-purpose stadium, nicknamed “The Big O” and designed by French architect Roger Taillibert as a very elaborate facility featuring a roof retractable, Which was to be opened and closed by wires suspended from a huge 175-meter tower. Next to the stadium the mammoth edifice that housed the athletes, built by René Lépine, Chairman of Groupe Lépine, and his associates through the company Zarolega Inc.

So much for the tourist-iconic part. Walking around the Plateau and the Quartier Latin I was amazed at the large amount of urban art; I was too surprised by the large number of party walls Some of the works respond to neighbourhood initiatives or simply to improve the visual appearance of the urbanscape.

ADS

Many restaurants and bars decorate their facades or party walls with urban art.

Museums

Even the Contemporary Art Museum develops an urban art program for children in closing fences in the neighbouring rehabilitation works.

The Urban Art Gallery

Here, there is also a gallery of Urban Art. Nothing to do with Lisbon (Municipality) or Lodz (Urban Forms program). It is a private gallery in all rule that leverages unbuilt spaces around to advertise any of the artists in charge of the gallery. Here you find big names of the urban art circuit.

I’ve always wondered, is there anyone who buys a piece of urban art of 100 or 200 square meters?