MB Public Artwork
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"Nacelle"By Pierre BlanchetteMeasuring six metres high by 15 metres wide and seven metres deep, Blanchette’s work envelops the exterior walls of a monumental room “floating” above the ground floor atrium of the JMSB building and can be found on the second floor. It is visible from both the interior and exterior of the Molson Buidling.Composed of sapele wood (an African wood similar to mahogany) with criss-cross bands of ebony and ionized blue aluminum, it makes numerous social, historical and civic references. Inspired by the heated exchanges depicted in Renaissance-artist Paolo Uccello’s military scenes, as well as the abstractions of the urban grid as seen in Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie, Blanchette captures at once the ideological dynamics of the business school and the restless motion in the Quartier Concordia. Pierre Blanchette was born north of Montreal in Trois-Rivieres and studied at l'Universite du Quebec a Montreal. His work can be found in numerous collections including; Le Musee national des beaux-arts du Quebec, the Montreal Museum of Find Arts, the Canada Council Art Bank and Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal. |
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"Lierre sur Pierre"By Geneviève CadieuxOutdoor art by Geneviève Cadieux (Ivy Leaves facing De Maisonneuve Blvd. West), is made of reflective anodized metal climbing up a limestone wall and covers 550 square feet. The artist developed the peice as a uniquely-Concordia take on the elitist tradition of ivy-covered academe. Geneviève Cadieux was initially inspired by the concept of “Ivy League”, the group of north-eastern American universities, among the oldest and most prestigious in North America.The term “ivy” makes reference to the vine which grows on the surfaces of these buildings and their histories. Over time, the vine has come to represent the excellence of these institutions. It is this symbolic aspect that most interested Cadieux, and has been transformed into the proposed artwork. Lierre sur Pierre depicts, in effect, a vine fashioned of mirrored anodized metal which climbs and affixes itself, much like real ivy, to the surface of the limestone wall facing De Maisonneuve Boulevard. The mirrored surface of Lierre sur pierre, like a photographic lens, captures movement and colour from the urban cityscape, and permits the dynamism of the Quartier Concordia to imprint itself on the artwork. Through the union of nature and the photographic medium, Lierre sur Pierre becomes a symbolic reversal. Usually considered a symbol of university elitism, the vine, once integrated into the architecture of the building, aesthetically reflects a vital aspect of the university: its openness. Its reflective surface permits the viewer of the urban environment to project him- or herself onto the fabric of the institution which, since its foundation, has characterized itself by its accessibility. “The vine’s reflective surface permits the viewer of the urban environment to project him, or herself, onto the fabric of the institution, which, since its foundation, has characterized itself by its accessibility,” Cadieux wrote in her statement on the piece. “Lierre sur pierre serves as a platform to share Concordia University’s vision, which speaks of cultural diversity, access to education and openness to a diverse population of students through its excellent programs and teaching.” This artwork represents Concordia’s values, dynamism, influence and openness to the world, which is embodied in the philosophy of the John Molson School of Business. Genvieve Cadieux hails from Montreal originally and studied Visual Arts at the University of Ottawa and now teaches photography at Concordia University. Cadieux's art explores the metamorphosis of photographic and cinematic images through the recording and production process. Whether shown in a museum, private, or public space, the presentation of her artwork inspires and theatrical scene designed to affect the individual by drawing him or her in. She is devoted to producing photographic images that deal with both human body and landscape. |
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"The Four Seasons"By Yehouda Chaki
The Four Seasons is an impressive piece of stained glass artwork that can be found underneath Guy street in the pedestrian tunnel linking two signature buildings at Concordia University, the Engineering and Visual Arts (EV) and John Molson School of Business (MB) Buildings. The piece was designed by Yehouda Chaki and donated by Diane and Salvatore Guerrera and Family. This piece, a stained glass creation, illuminates the dark underground space visited by thousands of people a day with energy, colour, and light. When Yahouda Chaki addressed the public at the unveiling of The Four Seasons he began by remembering when Salvatore Guerrera first approached him about the project. “He said, ‘I want you to do a window’ and I said, ‘great, what is the light source?’ and he said, ‘no light, it’s in a basement.’” It was the seemingly impossible and unexpected juxtaposition that made the project so appealing. The artist, Yehouda Chaki, was born in Greece and trained in Paris and Israel. He considers himself and expressionist and has built his reputation internationally on his striking paintings. He previously state his inspiration for this piece came from, “the idea of dripping colour was very fresh. I’m a painter, not a stained glass maker. But I decided to do a collage of glass. It’s stained glass without windows”. This is Chaki’s second piece to be displayed at Concordia University. His first work-The Express Train from Saloniki to Auschwitz, hung on the mezzanine of the Hall Building for almost two decades and can now be found in the collection of the Leonard & Bina Art Gallery. His newest piece, The Four Seasons, highlights light and colour, something that is easily dulled and forgotten about during the cold winter months. By infusing Concordia with such a beautiful piece of art students, faculty, staff, and the public of Montreal will have an opportunity to experience warmth, even in the coldest of winter months. It is the hopes of Salvatore Guerrera that “the thousands of students and members of the public passing through that tunnel will develop a relationship with the art, and those memories will be something they can build on”. |
"Untitled, Untitled and Hanging Form No. 3"By Gerald Gladstone (1929-2005)Donated Dr. Samuel Schecter, John G. McConnel and Mr. and Ms. Hyman FeldmanThree sculptures by Gerald Gladstone (1929-2005) are now installed in Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business Building. Composed of suspended metal disks and rods, the works are representative of Gladstone’s signature style in terms of technique and iconography. The tension between the weight of the materials and the evocation of lightness, created by the suspension and form of these sculptures, is characteristic of his work. Created between 1960 and 1963, two of the pieces are Untitled, and the third is Hanging Form No. 3. Donated by three separate donors to the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, between 1965 and 1972, these sculptures are now part of the gallery's permanent collection. While hung together, the three sculptures come from different donors. Pictured are two works called Untitled, created around 1960 out of steel. One was donated by Dr. Samuel Schecter in 1972, and the other by John G. McConnell in 1965. The third is titled, Hanging Form No. 3. Created in 1963, it was a gift from Mr. and Ms. Hyman Feldman in 1964. The integration of these sculptures into a public area is the result of a collaboration between the Office of Special Projects and Cultural Affairs and the Ellen Art Gallery. Read more about the artworks on Concordia Now... |
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"Cinema Architectonica"By Richard MacDonaldDonated by Carol and Bruce MallenIn 1985 the artist was sought out to create a monumental sculpture celebrating the history of film for MGM's corporate headquarters in California. Soon after the piece was selected by the National Sculpture Society for their Annual Exhibition in New York City. The work acts to greet all those going through the south doors of the business school and is located just opposite the BMO lecture theatre.Richard MacDonald, the most collected American contemporary figurative bronze sculptor at work today is at once both passionately devoted to his art and possessed with a rare talent for creating sensitive and moving images that touch the heart of the viewer. It was during this Cinerma Architectonica commission that he also began his personal exploration of the "human theatre" through the creation of several series, each comprised of rich and varied images dramatically convey MacDonald's sense of strength, energy and passion of mankind. |
