Montreal – Points of View

The exhibition Montreal – Points of View explores 10 different facets of the history of Montreal, from its earliest residents to the city of today with its metro and skyscrapers. Through objects that bear witness to our past, you will discover iconic districts, pivotal moments in Montreal’s history and the people who marked the city’s development.
A short video conveys the liveliness of Saint-Laurent Boulevard through unique views of its history and the contribution immigration has made to our culinary, sport and cultural traditions.

Conquer an ever-changing city from the past to the present!

Photo: Brad Tinmouth

Welcome to the Studio: An Allegory for Artistic Reflection and Transformation by Kent Monkman

Since July 7, the artwork by Canadian artist of Cree origin Kent Monkman, Welcome to the Studio: An Allegory for Artistic Reflection and Transformation, created as part of the Museum’s Artist-in-Residence program is presented in the exhibition hall. The 7.3 m (24 ft.) long and 1.8 m (6 ft.) high work alludes to the celebrated work by Gustave Courbet, The Artist’s Studio. A real allegory summing up seven years of my artistic and moral life (1855), viewed by many as a manifesto of 19th century realism. Like Courbet, Monkman portrays himself in an imaginary studio studying the artistic practice of painting. Created as an homage to Montreal, the work focuses on the relationship between photography and painting: a theme central to both the Notman studio’s activities and the history of photography in the 19th century. For these reasons and to take advantage of this opportunity to show the McCord Museum Notman Photographic Archives collection in a new light, this artwork will be permanently displayed.

About the artist
Kent Monkman is an artist of Cree origin who works in a variety of media, including painting, film/video, performance and installation.

Monkman enjoys depicting relationships of power, often by reversing the roles of the characters he illustrates. The representation of identities, notably Aboriginal, and the construction of historical narratives are the heart of his artistic practice. His use of irony and his many references to art history create a new order in which reality and fantasy merge.

The artist has been featured in many solo and group exhibitions in galleries and major museums in Canada and abroad.

Kent Monkman lives and works in Toronto.