Montreal Public Art


Montreal is an art-loving city. That's part of the European flavor of this town. Museums, art galleries and public art fill every block. But Montreal also hosts lots of theater, fashion, concerts and fashion so you almost need a separate visit just to view the art. Rushing about from place to place, I was amazed at how much art I encountered.  My first art encounter was the painting above,which was actually in the press offices for the Montreal Jazz Fest. I was immediately struck by its energy and 80s vibe.


I stopped to snap this sculpture on my way to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  The carvings remind me of Native American art.



I know this just looks like two twirly pipes but it is an art installation, I checked. It sits near the Montreal Harbor and I pondered the pipe and water connection.


Monuments and statues are popular in Montreal. They litter the streets and parks like shiny ornaments. This piece decorates the entrance of a hotel in Old Montreal. I don't know who he is but the surreal shape and squatness of the horse amused me.


This was my favorite. Simple yet profound. I resisted taking a photo of me hugging this art work so I wouldn't obscure the image. I regret that now. What art has caught your fancy during your travels?

Comments

Montreal is definitely on my list of places to go, Rosalind. So many live recordings have been made at that jazz festival, and I have more than a few, myself. Love the art work, and especially the man on the horse. I thought the style looked like the sculptures and paintings I've seen by the Columbian, Fernando Botero, so I looked it up on the Internet, and it is. All the best to you from the beach at La Serena!
Fly Girl said…
Andrew, thanks so much for locating the artist. I had a hard time finding out who he was but now I can go check out his other work. I will do a post on the jazz fest soon!
Tess said…
Hey we've got one of those funky LOVE pieces in manhattan NY! Very cool that love literally crosses all borders!
Fly Girl said…
Globe Trotter, I've seen the NY piece, it's a little bigger than this one but love is cool wherever you find it. Thanks for dropping by.
I really want to go to Montreal & these pictures make me want to go NOW! They look cool & I love interesting art.
Fly Girl said…
Britni, if you love the cold and snow, Montreal is good now but I prefer the summer when it's warm enough to browse the public art.
Catherine said…
Lovely sequence of striking artworks - I always love exploring artworks on display in a city and my favourit is in yours - kapoors cloud gate
TatiLine said…
The Man on horse statue is a Botero and the LOVE is by Robert Indiana. They are located on LHotel Montreal property on Saint-Jacques street and are part of an amazing collection that you can view in the hotel lobby and bar...Wharol, Lichtenstein, Jim Dine, Jasper Jones to name a few. A must see.
Dee said…
Great pictures... looks like Montreal would be a fun trip. I'll have to make plans to visit there one day.
I have a conference in Montreal this summer - I can't wait to look around :)
Fly Girl said…
Catherine, really? Cloudgate has become so much a part of Chicago that I almost don't think of it as art.

Tati, I got info on Botero from my trusty reader Andrew but I didn't know the Love was by Indiana, thanks so much. I walked right past that hotel and didn't know all those treasures were in the lobby but I know for next time. Thanks again for the info,

Dee, Montreal is loads of fun on so many levels.

Rachel, you are going to have such great fun, be sure to schedule time to explore because there's lots to see.
I also liked the last one! Something about the font, I think and the curves of the letters. I've heard a lot about Montreal, but it was mainly in relation to its music festivals, not so much in regards to its arts scene. Thanks for the travelogue.

Greetings from London.
Fly Girl said…
Cubano, I think that the art gets overshadowed by the music and foodie scene. I didn't know it was a big scene there until I arrived.
I've never been to Montreal but I love public art, and I'll keep an eye out for it if I ever get to visit...that's what I love about London too, there's just so much free art on the street. Are there are interesting graffiti in Montreal?
Love the love symbol. I really like the graffiti art and public installations in Berlin. On a nice you can walk around for hours admiring pieces that are profound or just plan pretty.
Fly Girl said…
London, thanks for dropping by. Yes, there was very stylized graffiti in different neighborhoods but I never had time to take pix!

Nicole, I think art is just part of the European sensibility, you find great museums and public art in most European cities.
It is the awesome and largest city of Canada. It has so many attractions many of them you have mentioned in your post. Monuments and statues increase city’s beauty and attract the attention travelers.

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