Labrona, new mural in Montreal, Canada

Detail of the Red Faces. Photo by Space27.

This fall, Labrona spent two and a half months and a lot of energy painting an atypical mural, formed of 4 ceilings. He only had time to finish three of them, he was forced to stop by the arrival of cold  weather. He will have to wait till spring to finish the rest. But what you are able to see actually is so beautiful I found it would be a mistake to not show it now! This last project of Labrona’s was a collaboration with MU and the city public transport, the STM, that commission a few murals to the mural organism.

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Detail of The Birds. Photo by Space27.

It’s the second time Labrona has worked with MU (first mural here) and this time the space was more complicated to approach both physically  and creatively. So, the result of his work is impressive. When I asked him how it was painting hours and hours, outspreading at 3 meters above the ground, what where the major difficulties, he explains it like this: “My face was pressed up by the ceiling so I could never see the whole of what I was working on. So I worked in squares, like a grid. That way, I knew where I was. I had to move the scaffolding around all the time to reach different parts of the ceiling. Basically I spent over 2 months lying down with my arm up in the air.” Regarding the public area, here is what he says: “Also, it’s a busy place so a crowd of faces seems like a good idea. Except the faces are still unlike the busy people moving all around.” so, that was it! 3 ceilings, faces, birds, and a lot of patience!

Faces, large view. Photo by Space27.

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Bonom in Brussels, a master of the rooftops

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I first discovered the work of Bonom a year ago, during my first trip to Brussels, Belgium. His massive pieces are impressive  by virtue of their location, the fact that each is a real physical work, and by their subjects. Back in Brussels last week, I was excited to admire his most recent pieces, done less than one year ago, even though he did declare that he would never do illegal art again after he was caught by the police in 2010. The French artist made Brussels his home and his canvas, with his crazy bestiary, and different homages to the best french old masters, like this sensual reclining woman above, a direct reference to “l’origine du monde” by Courbet. Here are a few pieces you might have seen while hanging out in the streets of the European Capital.

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And for my own pleasure, here is the only piece Bonom did in my favorite city, my home, Montreal (2009).

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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.

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Labrona, Troy Lovegates and Alex Produkt… summer nights in Mtl

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Labrona and Other. Photo by Labrona.

While Labrona and Troy Lovegates (aka Other) were working on some beautiful murals in Montreal this summer, they found time to escape into the lowlands of the city, to continue to express their art, night and day, despite being exhausted by all the work they were doing on their own murals! (See the mural of Troy Lovegates here, and the one Labrona is now working on at the end of this post.) It’s always amazing to be in front of a mural painted by these incredible artists, but the pleasure is the same when you are front of an illegal piece in the street. Can you feel the sweet sensations of the summer? Anyway, I do!  Meanwhile, Labrona took some breaks alone and with Alex Produkt and Troy Lovegates went out on some solo missions too… a great summer for all of them, actually.

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Labrona. Photo by Labrona.

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Other and Labrona. Photo by Labrona
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Labrona and Produkt. Photo by Labrona.
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Other and Labrona. Photo by Labrona.
Labrona and Troy Lovegates
Labrona and Other. Photo by Other.
Other. Photo by Other.
Other. Photo by Other.
Other. Photo by Other.

Detail of the mural Labrona is actually doing with MU in Montreal (a large ceiling in 2 parts)

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Labrona – detail. Photo by Labrona.

Photos by Labrona and Troy Lovegates aka Other

Vilx, a french artist in Montreal, Canada

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Oldog and birds. Photo by Vilx.

Vilx, Vilks, VxMu, (he goes by all of those names) is a talented French artist based in Montreal, Canada, since a few years ago. His perfect control of graffiti mediums permits him to work on multiple surfaces. Walls, trains, canvas… he is comfortable painting everywhere and feels free to express his art without any restrictions. This artist has a lot to say. You can feel it when you are in front of one of his artworks, whether it’s a commissioned mural, or an illegal piece you might be lucky to find on a freight train. So, I would prefer to let him talk about his art rather than do it myself!…

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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

A living museum, evolving walls in Montreal, Canada.

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November, 2011- Dscreet, Adam, add their art to the original piece by El flyer, Simo, Produkt, Leeny, Other, Labrona, Gawd, Giver, Nixon.

When I started to hunt Montreal illegal street art, it appeared to me that a city is not static as usual people can think it. When you look closer, you can observe the walls change by the art that sticks on them. I was able to see the evolution of the streets and in the same time I saw ordinary places becoming amazing spots. When an artist, or a group of artists take over a wall, a door, and make it themselves, they give a soul to the city.  Below you will see the transformation of some pieces whether completed or fixed. Interestingly, from a collective action or an individual one, it results that the urban environment is likely to be changed and magnified. The walls are for everyone but some of them exclusively belong to some artists. Hope they stay like this!

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September, 2010 – Leeny, Giver, Produkt, Other
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November, 2010 – El FLyer, Simo, Other, Labrona, Gawd, Produkt, Giver, Leeny
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March, 2011- Artist unknown
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August, 2011- HoarKor
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November, 2011- HoarKor, Stikki Peaches, Waxhead
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November, 2011- Labrona.
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July, 2012- Labrona, Gawd
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November, 2010- Produkt
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August, 2013- Produkt
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July, 2012 – Waxhead
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August, 2012- Waxhead, Gawd
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June, 2013- Waxhead, Gawd

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

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MURAL Festival – Montreal, Canada (part 2 )

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Labrona

Montreal really matured during the MURAL Festival. The high level of quality of all the murals gives an idea of what this city is able to offer to the artists: An incredible visibility and an enthusiastic audience. It’s a gift for all the urban artists that love to share their art in a public space. Here are the completed murals of Labrona, Gaia, Lny, Jason Botkin, FinDac & Angelina Christina, EnMasse, Chris Dyer, Paria Crew, and Wzrds gng.

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Gaia
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Jason Botkin – and Jeremy Shantz’s car
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FinDac & Angelina Christina

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MURAL Festival, Montreal, Canada (part 1)

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ROA

MURAL‘s first edition is what we can call a success. Montreal had never run such a massive urban art event … MURAL brought together some incredible local and  international artists for 4 days of explosive creativity. Running up and down Saint-Laurent Boulevard to admire and document all the murals was delightful. After given you an idea of the murals in progress last Sunday, here are the completed murals of ROA, Troy Lovegates (aka Other), Escif, Omen, Phlegm, Reka One, Pixel pancho, A Squid Called Sebastian, Le Bonnard, A’shop.

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ROA
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Troy Lovegates (aka Other)
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Escif – Barré means “Locked”
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Escif – Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

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