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Espace cubique ou hommage à Malevich by André
Fournelle (1992), collection d'art public, Musée de Lachine, Lachine borough. Photo: Alain Chassé (2003). |
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Le Phare du Cosmos by Yves Trudeau, Jean-Drapeau Park, Île Sainte-Hélène, Ville-Marie borough (1967). |
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Gratte-ciel, cascades d'eau/rues, ruisseaux... une construction by Melvin Charney (1992), Place Émilie-Gamelin, Ville-Marie borough. Photo: R. Etcheverry. |
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The city’s public art collection includes some 225 works that are part of outdoor sites, and 75 works integrated into architecture. The works range from commemorative monuments dedicated to political and historical figures or events, to monumental sculptures, murals or elements of landscape architecture.
In general and according to the times, works are acquired following public fund-raising campaigns or private funding by patrons, contests for Québec artists, or donations by foreign cities.
Work acquisition process
- Enriching the public artistic heritage leads to increased support for current visual arts practices. This is done primarily by contest, at the request of professional artists and out of fairness. Works of art acquired in this manner are usually created specifically for the place or building into which they are integrated.
- Contest rules do not apply to the works of foreign artists acquired through cooperative agreements with foreign cities.
- The city may also become the owner of works through donations or bequests.
Additional information about acquisition
Francyne Lord
Restoration
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Inspection of bronzework on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument, August 14, 2006, Mount Royal Park, borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal © Snejanka Popova, Ville de Montréal, 2006. |
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Restored lions Monument on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument, July 10, 2006, Mount Royal Park, borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal © Snejanka Popova, Ville de Montréal, 2006. |
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Conservation program
The conservation program for works of art insures the conservation and promotion of all works in the collection so that they may be passed on, unmarred, to future generations. Maintaining the integrity of works of art entails protecting both their material composition and the artist’s intent. Works installed outside are subjected to weather conditions, pollution, vandalism, and theft. The ever-evolving urban environment can also, by altering the context, rob them of their meaning.
Formulating a conservation strategy requires a great deal of consideration, for which the expertise and support of specialist and professional conservation organizations has proved invaluable. The Centre de conservation du Québec provided guidance of the highest order. The Canadian Conservation Institute, museum institutions, curators of historical and contemporary art, historians and scientists have lent their expertise when needed. This pooling of varied and complementary expertise has lead to developing an intervention philosophy regarding the collection as a whole, bringing into line various codes of ethics as they may apply to both the conservation of works of art as well as conservation principles and standards regarding cultural heritage – as defined by major international charters.
- Source : Le rôle de la Ville de Montréal en matière d’art public, report filed in 2003 with the Commission permanente du conseil sur les arts, la culture et le patrimoine.
Information concerning restoration, or to report any damage or vandalism perpetrated on a work of art in the collection
Snejanka Popova - agente de développement culturel
