Four artists invited to submit a design for a 62-metre-high work in Griffintown
MONTREAL, May 31, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Devimco Immobilier, along with its partner, the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ and President of the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal and Southwest borough mayor Benoît Dorais, today announced the name of the winning artist who will create a 21-storey work of art for the MaryRobert Condominiums, a mixed-use project in District Griffin™, at the southeast corner Peel and Wellington. René Derouin, a well-known Quebec visual artist whose career spans more than 50 years, was chosen to create this iconic landmark for the entrance to the city and its urban landscape. The initiative to integrate an artwork of this size is a first for a real estate development project in Quebec.
René Derouin is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist who has been honoured with the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas and the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, as well as being named Artist for Peace in 2017.
In March, Devimco Immobilier invited four acclaimed Quebec artists—Nicolas Baier, René Derouin, Doyon-Rivest and Pascale Girardin—to submit a proposal for a work of art to be integrated into the four facades of the two towers of its signature project. The proposed work also had to blend harmoniously with the neighbourhood.
"The MaryRobert will become a new icon in Montreal's landscape. It was important to consider the people who will pass through the area, those who will see this monument in the urban landscape, as well as those who will live in the project. This initiative goes far beyond real estate development. It's a creative gesture and a legacy that Devimco wants to bequeath to Montreal and to the borough," said Devimco's president, Serge Goulet.
"For 10 years now, we have been playing a role in the sweeping transformation of Griffintown, with boldness and determination. Integrating a work of this scale, one that is imbued with meaning, into the MaryRobert is a real driver of democratization. Through his work, Mr. Derouin takes a penetrating look at modern society, which I applaud," added Carole Handfield, vice-president, Investissements du Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ.
"As a real estate and architectural developer, we have a huge social responsibility in our work. For the MaryRobert, we couldn't just impose a work on our purchasers and on Montrealers," explained Patrick Blanchette, architect at Devimco Immobilier.
René Derouin and the "UN PHARE SUR LE FLEUVE" project
Titled "Un phare sur le fleuve," the proposed work is inspired by the river, the founding nations, the territory, migration and nordicity. Mr. Derouin depicts the wealth and diversity of Montreal by incorporating the city's coat of arms as flowers with their roots entwined.
"It's a unique opportunity for an artist to create a major work as a memory and a legacy for Montreal. In my studio, I thought about this project from every angle: it became an obsession for me. The question of private and public space prevailed in the design of the work. It's a major creation for the urban environment, and its monumental scale is unusual for public art in Quebec," said Mr. Derouin.
"Montreal is built on an island in a nordic territory rich in historical memories. The territory shapes our identity: you just have to spend a winter in Montreal to discover that nordicity is our common bond, our commingling. My work was influenced by the fact that we are a nordic people," he added.
Videos and models:
Presentation, René Derouin [in French only] and preliminary models
Selection process
The jury deliberation took place on May 3rd, following a public presentation of the four artists' proposals. The hand-picked jury consisted of Patrick Blanchette, architect, Devimco Immobilier, Alexandre Blazys, designer and managing partner, BlazysGérard, Marco Fontaine, president, Premius Conseil, Joanne Godin, architect, associate and design director, Lemay, Sylvie Lacerte, Ph.D., art historian, independent curator, public art consultant and director, International Symposium of Contemporary Art of Baie-Saint-Paul, and Marie Saint Pierre, founding president, Maison Marie Saint Pierre.
The selection was based on the following criteria: excellence and quality of the project, creativity and originality of the artistic approach, experience with comparable projects, appeal of the conceptual approach, the project's integration into the architectural space, its visual impact and its durability.
"Mr. Derouin successfully responded to the contest's aims with a proposal that satisfied the criteria, incorporating the tradition of the mural. The entire jury praised his work on migration, his iconography and the political significance of his approach. This democratic work will be integrated into the architecture and visible from a number of viewpoints. The artist was also commended for the natural character of his work, in contrast to Griffintown's urban density," said Marco Fontaine, president, Premius Conseil, and special advisor for the MaryRobert project.
The MaryRobert Condominiums project
MaryRobert refers to Mary Griffin, a businesswoman who, in 1804, began to develop the land in what was called Nazareth fief and for whom the neighbourhood was named "Griffintown." It also owes its name to the prominent British politician Sir Robert Peel: one of Montreal's main arteries, Peel Street, is named in his honour.
Since the units went on sale last fall, Devimco Immobilier has sold 90% of the 500 condos in the project.
Project highlights:
- Nearly 500 units
- Lofts, one- to -three-bedroom units and penthouses on the upper floors
- Urban lounge including a fireplace, bar, grand piano and billiard table
- Indoor and outdoor spa
- Infinity pool and refreshing pool
- Fully equipped fitness room
- Magnificent lobby
ABOUT RENÉ DEROUIN
Montreal-based multidisciplinary artist René Derouin is well known in Quebec, throughout Canada and internationally, especially in Mexico, where he has received the highest honours from the Mexican government. His works have been exhibited in France, the United States, Venezuela, Australia and Japan, and are included in many leading national and international collections, including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Bibliothèque nationale de France and National Gallery of Canada. He has been honoured with the Prix du Québec Paul-Émile Borduas, Ordre National du Québec and Order of Canada.
www.renederouin.com
ABOUT DEVIMCO IMMOBILIER
Devimco Immobilier is a Quebec real estate development leader that stands out for the creation and execution of large real estate projects, in particular lifestyle and TOD (transit-oriented development) complexes that combine commercial, business, leisure, and housing components. The company's real estate projects are noteworthy for producing unique living environments that take the needs of the people in the community into account. Devimco Immobilier was the first real estate company in the country to develop a lifestyle complex, with Quartier DIX30TM.
Since 2005 Devimco Immobilier has been developing District Griffin™ a vibrant area where a genuine community is taking root. Other projects include SOLAR UNIQUARTIER, the largest transit-oriented development (TOD) project in Quebec, a $1.3 billion development that will become a South Shore hub at the northwest intersection of highways 30 and 10. Devimco Immobilier is also building Square Children's, a new flagship project revitalizing the former site of the Montreal Children's Hospital and the entire neighbourhood. Devimco was selected by the City of Longueuil for a $500 million mixed-use project above the Longueuil–Université-de Sherbrooke Metro station.
www.devimco.com
ABOUT THE FONDS IMMOBILIER DE SOLIDARITÉ FTQ
The Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ promotes economic growth and employment in Québec by strategically investing in profitable and socially responsible real estate projects in partnership with other industry leaders. The Fonds immobilier backs residential, office, commercial, institutional and industrial projects of all sizes across Québec. At December 31, 2017, the Fonds immobilier had 47 projects in progress, 53 properties under management, 14 million square feet of land for development and $69 million allocated to affordable, social and community housing. The Fonds immobilier is a member of the Canada Green Building Council.
SOURCE Devimco Immobilier
Viviane Ross, [email protected], 514-827-4250
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