Melsa Montagne is a visual artist. Her work is noteworthy for her mastery of figurative painting, in which she explores the meandering complexity of humanity, often with a troubling effect. Her paintings are instinctive and serve as an outlet for her questions about the particular singularities of each entity, her pieces immerse us in a world of portraits that are often androgynous—imaginary people haunted by a search for their true identity. The work created by this artist brings us to a universe of her own. She has developed a unique pictorial language, painting that touches the soul.
Melsa Montagne creates works in mixed technique: acrylic, pastel, lead, ink and collages of different materials. Sweeping brushstrokes applied in the manner of Chinese calligraphy highlight the delicacy with which she treats her subjects.
Artwork description
The first woman to conduct a symphony orchestra in Quebec, Ethel Stark paved the way for generations of female musicians. After a remarkable stint with the New York Women’s Chamber Orchestra, she co-founded the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra with Madge Bowen, daring to introduce a new voice to the local music scene—all the way to Carnegie Hall, where her orchestra became the first in the country to perform.
Painter Melsa Montagne, whose work delicately explores the representation of women, was chosen to visually convey this story. Her sensitivity resonates with the spirit of the mural, which enshrines Ethel Stark in our shared heritage.
This project is fully in line with MU’s mission: to pay tribute to the builders of our culture through public art. With this work, a new female figure joins the Cultural Builders collection, which includes more than 30 murals throughout the city.
Paying tribute to Ethel Stark means celebrating the courage, creativity, and audacity of a woman who transformed her era. It also means restoring her place in the park that bears her name, in the heart of the neighborhood where it all began. Together, let’s keep her memory alive.