Imagine getting some of the best people of your particular interest all together in one place. You all get the opportunity to show off and then, while you’re enjoying doing your favourite thing in the world, you get to head off and party with your peers, your idols, and your friends. Does that sound like an okay time? Well, the Montreal Mural Festival thinks it’s a great idea.
Montreal is already home to a bunch of great festivals. Jazz Fest, the Comedy Festival, and even events like Osheaga attract the best artists, comedians, and musicians from around the world. They have an amazing setup for their events, encourage people to get excited and involved, and do it in one of the greatest cities in the world. The last time I was in Montreal, my friend told me that it was the first city they’d been to that felt like it breathed. I tend to agree. It has a special energy to it unlike other North American cities and wears that on its sleeve. Go anywhere in Montreal and you’ll experience something different from elsewhere.
In keeping with their love of only the best, the Montreal Mural Festival reached out across the globe, nabbing Australian muralist Rone and France-based La Diamantaire for their efforts. These two and many more international muralists were joined by Canadian artists like Stikki Peaches, Alex Produkt, and Matthieu Connery, all of whom worked together to give Montreal a mural facelift.
And while the muralists were glad to do their work, almost all of them took some time to enjoy the city, it’s people, and their fellow artists. The Festival itself proved to be a great distraction, scheduling no less than six official after parties packed with great music and plenty of other distractions. The event turned out to be somewhat of a meet-and-greet, the greatest networking meeting for mural artists in North America, and in one of North America’s greatest cities.
The Festival itself had a slow start and some organizational difficulties starting out this year. Anyone who knows Montreal has experienced its bizarre weather and the Mural Festival wasn’t spared. Supply shortages also lead to some delays, but all the murals were up and completed by the end. And, unlike other festivals that just leave behind abandoned tents and a lot of litter, the Montreal Mural Festival left behind some beautiful public art that everyone can enjoy.
Such highlights include Zoitan’s comic book and War of the Worlds-inspired mural, 2501’s kaleidoscope of black and white shapes and animals, and Cyrcle’s perspective-changing Pantheon. These are all just a taste of what Montreal got out of it’s latest mural festival. Hopefully these pieces will stay up until at least next year’s events, any hopefully the festival continues to attract the world’s best muralists and public art enthusiasts.
For more great works of art visit the festival’s muralists page.
