Conscious Machine, corner Berri and Cherrier, Montreal

Conscious Machine

Conscious Machine was commissioned by MU, an organisation who made it their mission to make Montreal beautiful by turning it into an open-air art gallery. I was assisted by Olivier Roy and Peru Dyer.

Recalling a stage, the work depicts figures pointing to a strange green circle above them. At the center of the wall, a gigantic engine is surrounded by the spectators of this show. This mural is a reflection on notions of consciousness, nature and environment. Nature is an idea conceived in relation to a living world, and is connected to human consciousness and culture. Technical knowledge and the modern abandon of this idea of a “living” nature was made in favor of an “environment”, to be studied, mapped and exploited. Something disappears like human consciousness, and with it the awareness that we have an essential connection to nature.

The green circle, my symbol for an “illuminating” nature, is also a sign that was recently proposed by Laure Waridel of Équiterre to show support for the cause of climate change refugees.

Conscious Machine is a work that is open to many interpretations. The silhouettes might seem remote and solitary but I suggest that it is a stage, and these are actors. “The world’s a stage” Shakespeare said, and the characters are invited to change their decor. By remaining open to multiple interpretation, I believe this mural will live long in the minds of the numerous passers-by who go through this public space.

As a reflection of MU’s philosophy and mission, mural art workshops were also offered by MU to a score of young residents. Major work was needed to repair the wall and was taken care of by the house’s owner.

For more information:
www.mu-art.ca :: 514.509.6877 :: www.facebook.com/MUmontreal