Off-Murales, a feminist vision of street art in Montreal, Canada

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Stela, Lilyluciole for Off-MuralES

Last June, the first edition of MURAL festival took place on boulevard Saint-Laurent, in the heart of Montreal. Beside this official and stunning event (covered here, here and here), a group of women street artists created a non-event, called Off-MuralES, all based on illegal artistic actions. The collective was created by Lilyluciole, Zola, Stela, Wall of femmes, Harpy and Camille Larrivée, and joined by 52HZ and Zuzu. When I asked Lilyluciole to explain me the logic of this Off, this is what she told me:

“Regarding Off-muralES, it is composed only of women street artists. However, the initial motivations for participating in this group are different for each of us. We share the same values: anti-racism, anti-corporatism and feminism. I think we all try to assert our presence as women artists in the streets of Montreal while remaining as independent as possible. Regarding illegal street art, yes we claim this expression over all. In addition, the Off-muralES was created in reaction to MURAL Festival to offer an alternative vision of street art closest to social realities in which most of us live.”

Here are some illegal street art works from some of the collective’s members, Lilyluciole, Stela, 52Hz and Zola. You can now follow their work and action here.

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Stela
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Zola
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Stela, 52Hz
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Lilyluciole
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Stela, 52Hz
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Lilyluciole
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52Hz

Photos by Aline Mairet

Street Art in Montréal, Canada, Spring

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Artist Unknown

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Aline Mairet, a street art blogger and photographer based on in Montréal. Check out her blog here.

Here’s an idea of what you could found when you walk on the streets and alleyways of Montréal. When street art wakes up after a long, cold, snowy winter, the artists bring colour and beauty to the streets. Here is the work of Anser, Labrona, Gawd, Produkt, Chris Dyer, Qbnyc, 500MWaxhead, Omen, 52Hz, Stikki Peaches, Listen, Wzrds gang and Stela. 

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Anser
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Labrona and Gawd
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Produkt
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Mathieu Connery aka 500M
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Waxhead
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Omen
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52Hz, Stikki Peaches and Listen
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Stikki Peaches
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Gawd
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Wzrds gang and Stela
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Artist Unknown

And this last piece, a splendid door by Labrona. A commission for En Masse.

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Labrona

Photos by Aline Mairet