Collage and Stencil artist, Mathieu Bories alias Mateo questions the perception of the world which surrounds us. His humanistic approach emphasizes a nostalgia of childhood as well as a romanticism erased in our contemporary society. Forgotten images, photography, travel documents accumulated in search of timeless knowledge are the raw material of a personal composition, a monologue of the soul.
Artwork description
Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension is Montreal’s most ethnically diverse borough, encompassing about 75 different communities, including francophone, Italian, Greek, East Indian, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Maghrebi, and Haitian populations.
Consequently, MU wanted to create a mural in VSMPE about cultural exchange. The mural is located on the four exterior walls of the chalet in Parc Saint-Damase, which is a daily meeting place for Italian seniors in the neighbourhood. This project is part of a long term partnership with the borough, which views mural art as an important tool for revitalization and beautification.
The artist Mateo was selected to undertake the design and execution of the mural. He chose to connect the neighbourhood’s diversity with a clever composition of traditional motifs which correspond to each of the communities. Each motif is derived from extensive research into ceramics, textiles and traditional ornaments from each community.
Ilana Pichon assisted the artist.