Peter Gibson, aka Roadsworth, (earlier) was recently commissioned by a Montreal neighborhood association to help revitalize the area, known as Saint-Pierre (via):
Most people don’t venture into Saint-Pierre unless they live there,
work there, or are truly lost. The neighbourhood is isolated between two
railway lines and a highway; its main street, a segment of
Saint-Jacques, doubles as a trucking route. But despite these challenges, this part of the Lachine borough is close to the city centre and is currently experiencing a boom in housing....
The artist developed a naval theme, which alludes to Saint-Pierre’s
proximity to the Lachine Canal and the historic Saint-Pierre River. The naval rope the winds along the sidewalks
of Saint-Jacques also
symbolizes the ties between local residents that are the strength of
the isolated community. The anchor points, which are painted on
benches, garbage cans and flower boxes, symbolize people’s attachment
to their neighbourhood.
Local businesses donated paint and supplied water and electricity for the project. The hope is that Roadsworth’s street art - the same stencil work that got him arrested for public mischief in 2004 - will make Saint-Jacques more attractive to pedestrians, encourage people to walk to local businesses, and create a unique local signature that residents can be proud of.
It's an interesting project, especially given Roadsworth's checkered past with his city. Once seen as vandalism, his work makes for an interesting addition to what's usually considered urban design.
A new documentary that explores Roadsworth's work debuted last month in Montreal. View the trailer:
As Gibson asks himself in the trailer, is he selling out? What's selling out, anyhow? Does questioning the role and form of public space equal selling out? Is engaging the public realm in a "legitimate" way selling out? Wish I could see the whole thing.
This is really very good idea.
And the artwork is really beautiful.
Posted by: Aparna | 03/15/2009 at 02:06