There are reasons why a growing number of art and décor lovers are praising Montreal for having similar vibes to indie enclaves such as Berlin and Brooklyn. With its ever-growing gallery, music and cuisine scenes, Quebec’s largest city is hitting its stride as it mashes up classic and modern sensibilities.
Beyond the must-see grounds of Mont Royal sits the often unnoticed green spaces of Rene-Lévesque Park. This meticulously gardened site boasts a cement and glass sculpture depicting nine flaming cylinders by Quebec’s own Robert Roussil. The former army vet-turned-artist made his mark internationally when he left Montreal in 1956, befriended Diego Riviera and went on to conceive a majestic sculpture garden in a medieval village in France called Tourrettes-sur-Loup.
After picking up a sip and a spritz, walk over to the nearby Avenue De Gaspé where more than a dozen galleries and eclectic shops are housed in two buildings. In one of those buildings is the arts diffusion centre , a structure that houses seven exhibit spaces that are managed by both creators and curators.
In the same building, at the Dazibao art centre, Tehran-born, Montreal-based artist Leila Zelli presents her multi-disciplinary show calledInstallations, video footage and sourced texts from social media are mixed together by this emerging talent in order to challenge Iranian stereotypes and traditions through romantic, dreamy, humorous and politically potent imagery.
Some local residents take their dogs for a walk near Café Olimpico on St-Viateur street in the Mile-End area of Montreal. on April 23, 2021.While you’re there, make your way to Atelier Circulaire, a space dedicated to highly affordable printed art, laser engraving and lithography . The 11 walls in this artist centre also offers workshops for up-and-coming artists.