CREATIVE STREET ART PLACEMAKING
09 Feb 2017
More than ever artists are creating art that enhances the placemaking of public spaces. The streets of Montreal have become the latest intersection between art and urban space working to change the way we inhabit these spaces.
The city streets of Montréal have received a fresh and creative update with Canadian artist Peter Gibson - who goes by the moniker Roadsworth - transforming the plain asphalt streets of the city into a visual haven and bringing the streets of Montreal to life through his surreal and creative works. Using vibrantly-colored painted forms, Gibson creates crosswalks and parking lots with a twist and a touch of humour. Visual manipulations made to otherwise everyday street symbols turn the asphalt markings into underwater creatures, larger-than-life landscapes, and messages about social change.
The messages reference a number of topics, including current political issues, with each reflecting the unique local place. Whether they send a social message or illustrate a playful pathway, the artist's street murals encourage everyday pedestrians to stop and consider their surroundings in new and engaging ways.
In a statement, the artist spoke of his art as representing the view that “fences are for painting and climbing not for dividing and obstructing”. Created as part of the Montreal Mural Festival in 2016, his latest work entitled Amnistie Internationale et Mural Fest, was created in response to the refugee crisis
Street art has been increasingly used as a tool to reclaim public spaces, much like similar projects which focus attention on alleyways and new redevelopments. Street art in public spaces is proving to be an interesting movement used to inject splashes of art and colour to our everyday travels. With increasing developments of replicated city streets around the globe, artists like Roadsworth are fundamental in using street art as a means to combat the mundane.
