NEW INSTALLATIONS TO EXPLORE ON PEDESTRIANIZED SAINTE-CATHERINE ST. W.

Montreal, September 6, 2023 – The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership invites Montrealers and visitors to make the most of the last days of summer on a pedestrianized and green Sainte-Catherine St. West, in the Quartier des Spectacles. Until October 23, the public is invited to enjoy the surprises offered by new installations that subvert and reimagine urbanity, between De Bleury St. and Saint-Laurent Blvd.

Playful Signs by Cécile Gariépy

Montreal artist Cécile Gariépy revisits road signage in playful, engaging, poetic and funny ways through illustrations on two dozen panels scattered along Sainte-Catherine St. W. The work invites the public to think about the ways we use and share public space.

Lawn Cars by Benedetto Bufalino

Expressing a utopian vision of a future in which cars are obsolete, a series of three parked cars have been turned upside down, filled with soil and covered with an immaculate lawn that beckons to sunbathers and picnickers. Installed outside Complexe Desjardins, the work by Lyon-based artist Benedetto Bufalino provides an inviting green space. The reclaimed and repurposed cars are also a critique of consumerism and a reminder of the environmental emergency.

This work was first created for PASSAGES INSOLITES, a public art walk curated by EXMURO arts publics and presented by the Ville de Québec.

Car Doors Garden by La Camaraderie

Next to the lawn cars, visitors will find Car Doors Garden by La Camaraderie in collaboration with Escouade l’Atelier. This work is another nod to automobiles overtaken by nature. Using an eco-friendly design approach, the creators carefully selected used car doors and transformed them into lush roadside gardens. By choosing recycled car doors as the main element for the project, La Camaraderie fully embraces a sustainable approach. The Car Doors Garden is planted and maintained by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership’s gardening team.

Revolution by Robert Hengeveld

This installation explores our curious relationship with the natural world, particularly in the context of the manufactured landscape. The installation’s trees are mechanized, periodically rotating in place. Sometimes the movement happens in response to ambient activity detected by motion sensors located at the base of the planters, and sometimes the trees all take part in a preprogrammed dance.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is 20 years old! The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues as well as numerous festivals and events. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal. 

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com

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MEDIA CONTACT  

Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo  
melanie@mingo2.ca  
514 582-5272   

SOURCE

Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
Chloé Goldstein
chloe.goldstein@quartierdesspectacles.com
514 812‑2193