Montreal Personal experiences and observations

Montreal Street Graffiti: When I came to Montreal for the first time in the fall of 2004, I was impressed by the Street Graffiti Paintings. I had been traveling to many big cities, but I never saw these kinds of interventions in a public space.

In fact, they seemed to be part of the street, they were made in the same color and type of paint as official infrastructural markers. The only difference was in their message. They did not indicate street rules, but made us think: they had a political message. They fitted perfectly to the common marks, seemed part of it.

I did ample walks in the 'Plateau' area, because I was keen on discovering new designs. There were barrages, loudspeakers, barbed wire, tightrope, cameras, flowers, power cable getting down a street light. I photographed them. My research seemed never to stop, I continuously discovered new motives.

When I came back this summer, I couldn't find these paintings again. If you knew about them before, you could guess that there was a painting in some place. Where were they gone? I was kind of disappointed that Montreal had lost his Street Graffiti Art.

Recently, I got to know that the person who did the interventions has been arrested in December of last year and charged with a fine for public mischief. The question is about Peter Gibson a.k.a Roadsworth, whose identity was certainly unknown prior to the arrest.

There has been initiatives to defend and to free him by Zeke's Gallery as well as other people and organizations, like Mayor Tremblay and/or Helen Fotopoulos, Inspector Annie Prevost, La Presse, Le Devoir, Le Journal de Montréal and the Gazette.

To learn more about Montreal Street Graffiti and in particular about its creator Roadsworth please consult the following websites: + http://www.recirca.com/artnews/396.shtml + http://www.mikepatten.ca/ + http://www.montrealmirror.com/2004/120904/front.html Some of Roadsworth's work in the city of Montreal: + Flickr Photostream + Roadsworth 1!, By the Gallery + Roadsworth 2!, Fairmont and Esplanade + Roadsworth 3!, In front of Laika

Finally, for Roadsworth things turned out better than he expected. On Jan.17, 2006 the municipal courthouse of Montreal announced Roadsworth's discharge.

On following website you can find an article including Roadsworth's interview related to his discharge: http://www.montrealmirror.com/2006/012606/news2.html