“Cabane à sucre”, or how a private jam turned into the “place to be” in Montreal

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EnMasse, MissMe, Waxhead, Kevin Ledo. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

Over the summer, TurtleCaps, an artist originally from Queen, New York but now based in Montreal, organized a massive transformation of an abandoned building in the center of Montreal. “Cabane à Sucre” (“sugar shack”) was an open-air street art gallery. At the beginning, the goal was to produce something that would be set apart from other street art events in Montreal but inspired by (as at hinted in the title of the project) Hanksy’s “Surplus Candy”. Originally, the project was meant to be low-key. It was done in a private courtyard without permission. Midway thru, TurtleCaps realized that the project was the perfect platform to give visibility to some artists that get shut out of galleries and festivals because, “they are not considered cool or famous enough.”

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McBaldassari, Labrona. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

In mid-August he called his close friends up and invited them to paint a dilapidated building hidden in the heart of the city, just for fun. As rumors of the project spread, more and more artists stopped by to join in. According to TurtleCaps, “It was incredible. Credit goes to everyone who took time and money out of their busy schedules to bring this building back to life before its inevitable demise to gentrification.”

That’s how 45 street artists and graffiti writers, but also illustrators and fine artists, collaborated over a 12 days span… doing their art in a 3 level courtyard. “I’ve made some good friends in Montreal, so a cool part of this is throwing these multiple artists that may not know each other, into the same space. To have a fine art painter rocking a wall next to a street bomber and they’re both having a good time, well that’s what it’s all about.”

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Bonar, MisseMe, X-ray. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

Of course this is not the first time artists have taken over an abandoned building. The difference here is that TurtleCaps brought in a variety of artists, some that have nothing to do with street art and were painting on walls for the first time. Whether you paint full buildings, are famous in LA or known in Europe, if your work was lacking passion, the “unknown” artist right next was going to show you up. All-stars, ego nor press meant anything for those 12 days in the courtyard. It was just about the art, not fame or money, and that may be why it was such a success.

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Large view, top level. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

When I asked Jason Botkin about “Cabane à sucre”, he said, “I consider it a very special project. Its impact on Montreal’s underground art community (including a vastly diverse pool of voices) may not be understood for some time yet to come. I love how it’s drawn so many together, in a very personal and somewhat private way. Above all, I’m impressed by the efforts of TurtleCap to make this an amazing experience for all involved, in a spirit of extreme generosity and inclusiveness. I’m very touch and inspired by this project that he so clearly poured his heart into!”

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Jason Botkin. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

According to Kevin Ledo, “Cabane à Sucre was a great excuse for me to jam in the same space as a whole bunch of amazing Montreal artists, doing their stuff without restriction. Graff writers, street artists, illustrators, and fine artists, side by side, the result is glorious!”

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Kevin Ledo. Photo by TurtleCaps.

For Laurence Vallières, “TurtleCaps’ Cabane à Sucre is a group of friends who came together to talk, eat, drink a beer and paint! I ended up there by chance, one evening of ultimate creation. I borrowed a brush and some colors and set to work. I met new people and shared my artistic visions. Some were painting on a wall for the first time. TurtleCaps chose the artists based on his friendship more than his artistic tastes, and the result is impressive. There is nothing more communal and underground than that.”

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Laurence Vallières, “Eugène”. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.

Alex Produkt shares the same feeling. “It was a fun opportunity to paint in a cool hidden courtyard and hang out with a bunch of other Montreal street artists in close quarters, drinking, eating, painting, laughing together.”

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Lina Kretzschmar, Tyler Rauman, Alex Produkt. Photo by TurtleCaps.

Lilyluciole has a very personal vision and interesting analysis on the project. “I agree with the approach of TurtleCaps and I think some of the press has misunderstood it. Highlighting the exclusive featured works by announcing that you will never see this show was bad information from some journalists. Instead, we must speak of the desire of the organizer to create a unitary project. I wanted to join this idea. I think it was generous to offer this possibility of collaboration to artists who do not often or never get to meet. There were graffiti, street artists, sticker addicts and even artists who have never painted outside. This attitude goes against the trend of some Montreal’s people who create divisions such as those between graffiti and street artists. That makes no sense. In fact, I think it’s totally out as this art expression does not require contempt or violence. I hope other initiatives such as this one will continue to emerge in various forms.”

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Lilyluciole. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.
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Jonathan Himsworth. Photo by TurtleCaps.
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HoarKor. Photo by Adida Fallen Angel.
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Fred Caron, Stela. Photo by TurtleCaps.
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Stickers Wall and photo by TurtleCaps.

Artists involved: Adida Fallen Angel, Alex Produkt, Alysha Farling, Andy Dass, Anna Van Stuijvenberg, Antoine Tava, Axe Lamine, Bonar, Citizen, EtherTFB, FiftyTwoHZ, Futur Lasor Now, Fred Caron, Grazyna Adamska-Jarecka, HoarKor, Homsik, IAmBatman, Il Flatcha, Jason Botkin, Jonathan Himsworth, Kevin Ledo, Kizmet, Labrona, Laurence Vallières, Lilyluciole, Lina Kretzschmar, MAbstrakt, Mc Baldassari, MissMe, Ms. Teri, Okies, Pascale Lamoureux-Miron, Philippe Mastrocola, Stela, TurtleCaps, Tyler Rauman, Valerie Bastille, WaxHead, X-Ray, and  EnMasse featuring Cheryl Voisine, Cyndie Belhumeur, Jeremy Shantz, Julien Deragon, Laurence Sabourin and Raphaël Bard.

See more photos here, and here.

Photos by TurtleCaps and Adida Fallen Angel

In the streets of Paris with Lilyluciole

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Kub

The first time I returned to Paris after a few years of exile in Montreal, I was very excited by the idea of all the art I’d be able to find on the streets. But I rapidly realized that it would be difficult to hunt street art as I used to in Montreal… not the same art, not the same way to catch it. Paris is very intense, always the same artists, at every street corner, seen hundreds time on blogs, Flickr, instagram, etc… not easy to have the sensation of finding something new… not that I hate these productive artists, I really appreciate some and respect all of them, but I expected something different. So I asked someone that really comes from the streets in this city to give me a private art tour, Lilyluciole. Lucky me! What she showed me is not necessarily new, except a few pieces, but what a pleasure to see some precious artists like Kub, Baubô, Kraken, Kouka, Koleo, Sobre, Hopnn, Le Diamantaire, to see the refreshing pieces of my friend Lilyluciole in Paris, to admire illegal art work by Swoon, Stinkfish, InvaderMr Chat, to discover some amazing unknown spots, like the rue de l’Ourcq in the north of the city with walls covered by Da Cruz, Batsh, Sly2, Orfée… and some other spots, the Rue Desnoyers, Les Usines Éphémères. So, here is a personal point of view of the streets of Paris, by Lily and me.

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Kraken. Le Marais.
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Lilyluciole, Le diamantaire. Le Marais
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SOBRE, Lilyluciole. Le Marais
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Da Cruz, Space Invader. Canal de l’Ourcq
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collective work of Lilyluciole and Baubô. Canal de l’Ourcq
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Da Cruz, Lilyluiole ans Zola, Baubô. Canal de l’Ourcq
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Da Cruz, Batsh. Rue de l’Ourcq
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Da Cruz. Rue de l’Ourcq
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Horfée. Rue de l’Ourcq.
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Sly2, Da Cruz. Rue de l’Ourcq.
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Da Cruz. Rue de l’Ourcq.
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A view of the Rue Desnoyers, Belleville
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Koléo, Swoon. Rue Desnoyers.
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Stinkfish. Rue Desnoyers.
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Hopnn. Rue Desnoyers.
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Kouka, Le Diamantaire, Hopnn. Rue Desnoyers.
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M.Chat. Les Usines Éphémères, Canal Saint-Martin

Photos by Aline Mairet

Street Art in Montréal, Canada, Fall

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Labrona. Photo by Labrona.

It’s already fall! Time is running out and artists too… The weather was sweet and warm at the beginning of the season, enough to have a comfortable atmosphere conducive to creation. A real indian summer that brought some good stuff in the streets. With the collaboration of my partner in crime, Space27, my eyes in Mtl when I’m far away, and with the support of some beautiful artists, the girls of Off-Murales, Labrona, Banksy…….. oh… WAIT ! WAIT ! Banksy was in town ??? No way ! No…no… it is BadVilx!!! phew… I can show you some street art works by Labrona, Vilx, Open Mind, The chief, Oh well!, MissMe, Qbnyc, Zola, Harpy, Lilyluciole, Scaner, Stikki Peaches, Mathieu Connery.

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BadVilx. Photo by Vilx.

Continue reading “Street Art in Montréal, Canada, Fall”

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, Summer

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Garbage Beauty

Here we are, in the middle of an hot, sweat and incredible summer in Montreal. The perfect place to walk in the back alleys and abandoned areas, looking for fresh air and street art. “The perfect day to be outside” for a street art photographer ! Street art works by Garbage Beauty, Chris Dyer, QBNYC, Produkt, Waxhead, Cryote, GawdLabrona, Troy lovegates aka Other, Mathieu Connery aka 500M, Lilyluciole, Mathieu Bories, WIA.

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Chris Dyer and QBNYC
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Produkt
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Cryote and Waxhead

Continue reading “Street Art in Montréal, Canada, Summer”