Public art gallery embellishes ‘neglected urban space’ under Highway 40 in Saint-Michel

A new urban art gallery has brought fresh life to a previously neglected space in Montreal’s East End.

The Quartier des arts du cirque is a collection of 20 frescoes painted directly on the support columns beneath Highway 40 in Saint-Michel — at Crémazie Boulevard around D’Iberville Street.

Haitian and queer culture, sensory art and Afro-diasporic spirituality are just some of the inspirations behind the artworks by eight mural artists, mostly from the Saint-Michel area.

The highway pillars were painted between late June and July 6.

The goal was to make the space more attractive and welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists.

“By enhancing a previously neglected urban space, our intention is to instill beauty, pride, and belonging in a neighbourhood brimming with creativity,” explained Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, executive director of the Quartier des arts du cirque.

“This open-air gallery illustrates our desire to make Saint-Michel a place where art engages with the city and its citizens, thereby attempting to heal the divide that isolates the neighbourhood.”