Montreal 2008 (Catching You Up: 10 of 11)

My friends and I traveled to Montreal for a long weekend in June of this year. Having never been there, I expected Montreal to be a time warp back to a romantic old city with strong European influence. Though parts of the historic section of town did have the old world charm I expected, I was struck more by the grittiness of Montreal. Though some images of Montreal could resemble the classic Parisian photographs of Cartier-Bresson, I was more inspired by the ubiquitous graffitied buildings and the rawness of the city.


We stayed at a shabby-chic apartment on Rue Ste Catherine called Maison Loft. It was owned by a friendly, entrepreneurial young woman named Noémie. Though initially surprised by the loft (it kind of gives you the feeling that you are staying at a place that could have once been a crack house) we gave in to its gritty charm and were won over by the warmth of our hosts. The above photo, is the view from my room looking down on Rue Ste Catherine.

The graffiti in Montreal was like ivy on buildings.

I am drawn to this photo for a number of reasons. I love the weathered expression on the man's face. He's doing cement work to the front of a shop, and it looks like he's been doing it his whole life. The pattern on his shirt blends in with the reflection of the clouds, blurring the distinction between the man and his environment. Though he's tired and slouched, and probably not the vision that Michelangelo had in mind, when I look at him, the posture of his hand makes me think of the Statue of David. My friends are reflected in the window.