Optimistic Dumpsters Incite Smiles

In so many cities I've visited, the walls, pavements, property and crevasses considered to be 'public space' tend to be stark, bare and somewhat protected.  Why is that?' 

Local artist Graham Landin's current public project involves the cartoonised personification of commonplace inanimate objects, and is helping to remedy the mundanity of municipal blandness up and down the east coast.  

Walking over the bump in the pavement Montrealers call 'Mont Royal', a smile burst onto my face upon seeing a group of trees made into faces, with the addition of  stylised facial features.   There is potentially a deep seated interpretation for these installations, which would be an interesting discussion no doubt, but just putting some surprise happy into our environment is a pretty admirable result.

Street art and public art displays in general are some of my favourite concepts for so many reasons.  For one, 'transit time' often banes me, time spent NOT being in the place you want to be.   Landin's contribution to our shared space is one of the beautiful things about Montreal, where transit time becomes the destination. There are amazing examples of artistic interpretation and expression everywhere.

In place of your television, why not walk the streets for some constant visual stimulation?  Your ass could do with a walk anyway.

Send us photos of Montreal public spaces that have been improved by 'commission' and you could win a t-shirt from the Yellow Bird Project, email info@snapme.ca.  Brilliant.  SNAP!

Words by Kate