Downtown Montreal is looking quirkier than usual. Giant golf balls, dragons, flowers, and fish grace the worn-out sidewalks of Ste-Catherine Street, to the great delight of passers-by. It is the work of graffiti artist Peter Gibson, better know under his “spray-can name” Roadsworth.

Roadsworth was commissioned by Arprim to add some art to the streets of the down-town core as part of the Print Media Month. There is a “genetically enhanced” flower garden sprouting just in front of the Belgo Building, but also watch out for crocodiles crawling out of sewers nearby, and it appears as thought the intersection of Ste-Catherine Street and Union has turned into a wading pool.
It is interesting how mainstream Roadworth’s work has become. Initially decried as a mere graffiti artist and vandal by the Montreal police, he was charged with 53 counts of mischief in 2004. But the local arts community closed its ranks and local newspaper Le Devoir championed his cause, and in January 2006 charges were dropped. Outrage turned into endorsement, and Roadsworth was commissioned by the city to create some of his street-art works in the school yard of the Lambert Close School, in lieu of community service. By now Roadsworth has created works for the Cirque du Soleil, the Tour de France, and the Darling Foundry, to name but a few. And he no longer needs to creep through the streets of Montreal at dawn, one step ahead of authorities.
There is some documentation of Roadsworth’s work on display at the Visual Voice Art Gallery until the end of the month. Otherwise, take a walking tour starting at the Belgo Building and head for downtown.
PS: Thanks, Zeke, for the additional information.

Visual Voice Art Gallery
space 421
Visual Documentation of commissioned works for the
Print Media Month
exhibition period: May 12 – 31, 2008
www.visualvoicegallery.com

Roadsworth
www.roadsworth.com