Pointe-claire's newest mural captures city's fluid history

Pointe-claire has unveiled a new permanent mural, The Memory of Water, on the concrete walls of a pumping station near the eastern entrance to the Pointe-claire Village.

The mural was finished months ago, but its official inauguration had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

The outdoor art project at 246 Lakeshore Rd., next to Edgewater Park along Lac St-louis, was carried out by the Artducommun collective of Jasmin Guérard-alie and Simon Bachand.

“The artists' approach was based on archival research at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BANQ) in order to illustrate various aspects of Pointe-Claire's history and preserve the memories of it,” the city stated.

The mural captures representations of Pointe-claire's history through “the incorporation of archives inspired by the theme of water, echoing the purpose of the building and its immediate environment.”

The artists began working on the mural Aug. 26. It took them 26 days to complete the project, taking into account weather conditions.

“It is with great pride that we welcome this new mural to the heart of Pointe-claire, a work that both embellishes a utilitarian building and highlights the importance of water in our history,” Mayor John Belvedere said.

The Artducommun collective was chosen to do the mural last year by a selection committee made up of members of the Pointe-Claire Public Art Committee and independent experts.

The artists were given a budget of $25,000, plus taxes, including professional fees, equipment and materials.