Category Archives: Public Art

Obscure War Memorials

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It’ll be interesting to see what monuments get built here in Montreal to remember the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan… Back when things were black or white it was much simpler. You died trying to kill other men with guns and they carved your name in stone.

Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Close up of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Close up of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.

Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.
Detail of the Monument Aux morts Francais de Montreal et aux Volontaires Canadiens de L'armee Francaise.

From the time when only the Canadiens spoke French.

Entrance to the Currie Gym
Entrance to the Currie Gym
The base of the flagpole for The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
The base of the flagpole for The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
The base of the flagpole for The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
The base of the flagpole for The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
The Monument to the McGill students (and perhaps professors) who died in World War I
William MacRae and Ralph Willoughby
William MacRae and Ralph Willoughby
Mervyn Jones and Reginald Fraser
Mervyn Jones and Reginald Fraser
Lionel Oliver and Edward Beckwith
Lionel Oliver and Edward Beckwith
Morrey Cross and Duncan Chisholm
Morrey Cross and Duncan Chisholm
Eric Fraser and William Hamilton
Eric Fraser and William Hamilton
Harold Suttie and Alfred Emmerson
Harold Suttie and Alfred Emmerson
Hugh MacDonald and Wayland McRitchie
Hugh MacDonald and Wayland McRitchie
Guy Ambrose and Graeme Anderson
Guy Ambrose and Graeme Anderson

Female Landscape by Gerald Gladstone at Place Ville Marie

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Built in 1972 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the building of Place Ville Marie, in French the name is Presence Feminine. The water jets are on a four minute cycle, and more information about Gerald Gladstone can be found here.

The Fountain at Parc Sir George Étienne Cartier

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Built in 1912 by Mott Iron Works it was restored in 2003.

+This is the 20th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+

Les tables de jour – 1 by Jocelyne Alloucherie

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There obviously were some major renovation done to the hospital in or around 1996, as this fountain was made by Jocelyne Alloucherie in 1996 and is called Les tables de jour – 1 (solaire, givrée), or for the blokes in the house, Day Tables – 1 (solar, frosted). And no, I don’t quite get it either. But someone should take it upon themselves to do some work on it, as it is not aging well in the least.

 

+This is the 17th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+

Les leçons singulières (volet 1) by Michel Goulet

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Made in 1992 by Michel Goulet. It’s one of my favorite fountains in town, however over the past 19 years it has settled somewhat and as a consequence is no longer level. Hence, the water streaming off of the northern end of the map, and being rather desert-like on the southern end.

There are eight chairs that are also part of this piece of public art, and if you continue walking to Parc Lafontaine, you will run into part two.

 

+This is the 16th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+

Metro de la Savane

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Continuing our inquiry into obscure metro stations…

Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux
Calcite by Maurice Lemieux

More information on Maurice Lemieux can be found here.

Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)

The fence reminds me an awful lot of a musical staff and notes.

Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville side)

I also find it weird that they thought that this side would be the back, when in fact it is the main entry path to the station.

Metro de la Savane (Bad landscaping view)
Metro de la Savane (Bad landscaping view)
Metro de la Savane (dead tree view)
Metro de la Savane (dead tree view)
Metro de la Savane (living tree view)
Metro de la Savane (living tree view)
Metro de la Savane (de Sorel & Decarie)
Metro de la Savane (de Sorel & Decarie)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville and de Sorel)
Metro de la Savane (Bougainville and de Sorel)
Metro de la Savane
Metro de la Savane

Opened in January 1984, is was designed by Guy de Varennes and Almas Mathieu. Guy de Varennes appears to have built a bunch of things in Haiti. While Almas Mathieu did a bunch of churches, schools and hospitals here in Quebec.

Continue reading Metro de la Savane

Fountains in Verdun and Park Jean Drapeau

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At the Mairie d’arrondissement de Verdun, I don’t know when it was made, nor who made it, but as far as I can tell, it is the only fountain in all of Verdun.

And this too, is a fountain that I don’t know very much about. Although given its location, I would presume that it was made in 1966 or so.

 

+This is the 15th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+

The waterfalls in Westmount Park

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The source

Made in 1964 by McFadzean & Everly.

+This is the 14th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+

Metro Verdun

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One of the more obscure metro stations in town, it is a rather interesting piece of architecture. Set up kind of like an iceberg, where what is on top does not reveal the size of what is below.

The entrance at 4520, rue de Verdun
The entrance at 4520, rue de Verdun
The entrance at 4525, rue de Verdun
The entrance at 4525, rue de Verdun
Approaching it from rue Willibrord
Approaching it from rue Willibrord
Interesting support system for the roof.
Interesting support system for the roof.
The back of 4525, rue de Verdun
The back of 4525, rue de Verdun
Looking very 60s
Looking very 60s
The interior of 4525, rue de Verdun
The interior of 4525, rue de Verdun

Opened on September 3, 1978, it was designed by Jean-Maurice Dubé (who also designed 172, 80e Avenue in Lasalle, the École Marguerite-De Lajemmeraisand 5500, boulevard Lasalle) with artistic intervention by Antoine D. Lamarche and Claude Théberge (who also did the reliefs on the de L’Eglise metro station)

The tunnel linking the north and south entrances.
The tunnel linking the north and south entrances.
Looking down about 70 feet.
Looking down about 70 feet.
The cross hatching and the orange, purple and white lines are the art.
The cross hatching and the orange, purple and white lines are the art.
That's a humongous space!
That's a humongous space!
Cool looking lamps.
Cool looking lamps.
More cool looking lamps.
More cool looking lamps.
More cross-hatching
More cross-hatching
From the overpass looking down the train tunnel.
From the overpass looking down the train tunnel.

That’s my favorite view in the station. Very futuristic from a 1960s/70s perspective. Very Battlestar Galactica.

The view across the platform.
The view across the platform.
The view further down the platform.
The view further down the platform.
The view on the platform.
The view on the platform.

More information about the Verdun metro station can be had here and on Wikipedia.

Éolienne V by Charles Daudelin

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I’m not sure whether the word Éolienne translates into English as windmill, windturbine or fan, although my best guess would be some combination of all three. Initially built in 1983, it was restored in 2003, which was when Soucy Aquatik added the water to it. More details can be had here.

+This is the 13th in an occasional series of videos on the fountains of Montreal+