Early days
Archaeologists place the first human presence in the St. Lawrence Lowlands in the fourth millennium BC. However, the oldest remains found on the island of Montreal date back a few centuries before the first explorers came from Europe. Following excavations in Old Montreal, the Pointe-à-Callière Archaeology Museum has gathered hundreds of thousands of objects and fragments, making it possible to reconstruct the history of Montreal. All phases of land occupation are represented, from the prehistoric Amerindian period to the present day. Over the course of the exhibitions, a precious panorama of all aspects of Montrealers' daily life through the ages is drawn.
The First Nations have left countless works preserved in various places scattered throughout the territory. In Montreal, Aboriginal artists are the prerogative of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, which is specially dedicated to the promotion of Canadian art.Pictorial tradition
During the first centuries of Quebec's history, pictorial works were imported from France due to a lack of professional national artists. The wealthiest clients crossed the Atlantic by boat to pose in front of French painters. Little by little, local art emerged, taking inspiration from art forms from Europe. Religious themes dominated painting until the beginning of the 19th century. It is worth remembering that the founding of Montreal is intimately linked to the Catholic religion, the "city of a hundred steeples" having developed from a missionary colony.
From the beginning of the 19th century, the art of portraiture became popular with private individuals. A local art market, favoured by a favourable economic climate, slowly blossomed. From the middle of the century, experienced portrait artists began to compete with photography, which was less expensive. At the same time, the painter Paul Kane (1810-1871) illustrates the life of the First Nations peoples with a fresh look that strikes the spirits.The great turning point
At the end of the 19th century, the influence of impressionism, then expressionism, is felt in the creative milieu. The birth of the 20th century saw the blossoming of a harmonious art, that of landscapes with a naïve charm. Until the beginning of the First World War, Montreal experienced a period of unprecedented growth. After the war, the capital was in full development and acquired a reputation as a city of pleasures, all the more appreciated by the Americans during Prohibition. But because of the crash of 1929, unemployment hit the population hard.
It was in this context that a decisive shift took place, initiated by the Group of Seven. The pictorial upheaval came from Toronto, which was then posing as a rival to Montreal. Seven landscape painters (Frederick Varley, A.Y. Jackson, Lawren Harris, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael and J.E.H. MacDonald, along with the iconic Tom Thomson) were determined to redefine the country's visual identity by painting vast wilderness. These revolutionaries of the paintbrush claimed to be inspired by post-impressionism, advertising art and the Scandinavian tradition. Their influence would be felt by several generations of artists. From then on, Canadian painting became an international phenomenon and flourished within the main artistic movements. On the Quebec side, Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888-1970) also made his mark with his rural landscapes along the St. Lawrence. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
presents a large collection of his works. Meanwhile, photographer Edgar Gariépy (1881-1956) specialized in art and architecture images. He immortalized the growth of Montreal over several decades. His image bank, which is a precious testimony to the city's history, is kept at the Musée des beaux-arts du Québec.The Global Refusal
In 1948, the Refus Global, an artistic manifesto by Paul-Émile Borduas, was published in Montreal by the Automatistes. In these pages, the author questions the values of Quebec society, rejects all constraint, and advocates individual freedom. Among the signatories are psychiatrists, actors, designers, the painter and sculptor Marcel Barbeau, the photographer Maurice Perron, and Jean-Paul Riopelle. Painter, engraver and sculptor, Riopelle (1923-2002) moved to Paris in 1947 where he befriended the Surrealists before returning to his native land. In 1958 he began a career as a sculptor. Back in Paris, he exhibited his sculptures and trained in pastel, engraving, collage and ceramics. Nature, then figurative elements occupy a growing place in his creative process. His success being confirmed, he responds to commissions from both sides of the Atlantic. Between abstraction and figuration, he likes to renew himself, exploring stencil painting as well as aerosol cans. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, which devoted a major exhibition to him in 2006, has several of his works on display: The Wheel, Tribute to Grey Owl, Midnight Sun and Owl. A square named after him, which houses his fountain La Joute, has been set up in front of the Palais des Congrès.
Fusion of the arts
In Montreal as elsewhere, contemporary art questions the meaning of art by heckling its limits. Intimate subjects and social issues clash, all pictorial freedoms coexist. At the dawn of postmodernism, influences now come from the United States. Technique widens the field of possibilities: photographic and technological experiments follow one another. In this effervescence, Fusion des Arts was founded in Montreal in 1964, then Intermedia was founded in Vancouver in 1967. These two informal groups broke down barriers by combining all available media (film, music, dance, poetry). The artists of Fusion, grouped around Richard Lacroix, François Soucy, François Rousseau and Yves Robillard, rely on the collective to produce happenings and public performances.
Carsonism
Charles Carson, a painter and sculptor born in Montreal in 1957, never tires of exploring the world of the visual. From his experiences stems Carsonism, a pictorial movement characterized by oblique coloured touches that give life to painting. Transparency, juxtaposition, different methods related to mosaic intersect to suggest dynamic forms, from which fish, birds and flowers emerge in a bright light. A great collector's favourite, Carson has become a favourite of posterity by reconciling abstraction and figuration. Today, his works fascinate specialists and the public alike on an international level.
Outside the walls
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal's collection encompasses several thousand works in all media: video, sculpture, photography, painting, installation, sound and digital work, and drawing. Louise Bourgeois' star sculptures share the space with captioned self-portraits by photographer Raymonde April (b. 1953 in Canada), paintings by Janet Werner (b. 1959 in Canada), and disturbing photographs by Chih-Chien Wang (b. 1970 in Taiwan). The work of Jon Rafman, born in Montreal in 1981, combines sculpture, painting, installation and photography to denounce the role of technology in the world today.
Part of the museum's collection is displayed in the streets of Montreal to facilitate access to art for all walkers. As Art Souterrain's actions attest, public art, which is continually being enriched, occupies a special place in Montreal's heritage. In this field, the underground city has established itself as a mecca for public art.
Unlike many cities, street art in
Montreal has not set its sights on a specific area. It's quite simple, urban art is everywhere. But keep your eyes open, because it can be found in unexpected places: parking lots, street furniture, dead ends or stairwells. A clue to guide your walks? Head for the Plateau Mont-Royal, between the Sherbrooke and Mont-Royal metro stations. Sublime frescoes adorn Saint-Laurent Boulevard, but not only. The charming neighborhood of Little Italy, where the first Italian immigrants settled in the 19th century, also hides its treasures bequeathed by the muralists. Stroll between Jarry Park, the Jean-Talon Market and the Claude-Léveillée Cultural Center to taste the Latin atmosphere.Selection of art galleries
To take the pulse of contemporary creation, nothing beats a tour of art galleries. The Quartier International du vieux Montréal is the cultural epicentre of the city. Between two galleries, you will certainly come across works of public art.
Not far from the Musée d'art contemporain and Place des Arts, Galerie MX is a talent scout. Canadian and international artists exhibit within its walls.
The Galerie Blanche is open to all techniques as long as it has a flair for talent. Artists from all horizons welcome!
On Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Galerie Youn was a virtual gallery before becoming a physical space dedicated to building bridges between local, national and international art.
The Canal districts bring together antique dealers, modern art, established and emerging artists. More specifically, Griffintown has quickly become a fashionable destination. Ancient and modern cohabit in this area, which is home to numerous art galleries. Take a stroll along William, Ottawa and Notre-Dame Streets West to discover a whirlwind of artists' studios and galleries. Art lovers and the curious flock to this lively neighbourhood. As an exhibition centre, the Carré des artistes is a meeting place open to all means of expression. As for the Galerie Lisabel, it will delight fans of installations. Also in Griffintown, the Centre d'art de Montréal presents itself as a visual arts centre with studios that can accommodate 100 member artists and two art galleries: Galerie William on the first floor and Galerie Griffintown on the second floor. Who wouldn't find what they're looking for?
