Montréal improves the city in a number of ways: with plants, design and… public art. At the intersection of Henri-Bourassa and Pie-IX boulevards in Montréal-Nord, La Vélocité des lieux, a work by contemporary art trio BGL, now stands as an emblem of this gateway to the city. Recalling a giant Ferris wheel, this major art installation consists of five curved metal bus skeletons connected to the central hub by cables resembling the spokes of a bicycle wheel. The artists were inspired by the surrounding flow of vehicles and human activity to create a work that evokes play, community spirit and motion.
Inaugurated on September 19, this work of public art was chosen from among entries in a cross-Canada competition launched in 2013 by the Public Art Bureau.
The Public Art Bureau has been devoted for more than 25 years to the acquisition, conservation and promotion of the artworks in the Ville de Montréal’s public art collection. Today, the collection includes more than 315 artworks integrated into public spaces and municipal buildings.
To learn more about Ville de Montréal’s public art collection.