Montréal murals by night: Art Public’s The Illuminated Murals – Night Tour

The tour begins with Damiers 2023, Montréal’s tallest mural, produced by MU to honour Montréal artist Françoise Sullivan. Vivid blocks of colour climb the 300-foot facade of the Hyatt Place hotel (801 Sainte-Catherine Street East), which overlooks the Jardins Gamelin. Tourisme Montréal is proud to have provided financial support for the mural’s lighting.

After ambling through the heart of The Village on Sainte-Catherine Street, the next few stops on the tour are a nod to Montréal’s rich history of theatre. The first, Hommage à Jean Duceppe, by artist HSIX, can be found at 1770 Montcalm Street. It was curated by the Théâtre Duceppe in honour of their founder.

One street over, you’ll find Hommage au Théâtre de Quat’Sous (1755 Wolfe Street) created by Gene Pendon to celebrate the Montréal theatre that opened its doors in 1985. A second stop on the same street (1793 Wolfe Street) brings you to Hommage à Clémence Desrochers, created by Dominique Desbiens and Bruno Rouyère to honour the famous actress and humorist. It is the first of three murals that each pay tribute to an important female artist who made a major contribution to Québec’s history.

The second of these, Hommage à Denise Pelletier, (1826 Wolfe Street), was created by Mathieu Bories (Mateo) to honour the famous Québec actress and the third, Hommage à Éva Circé-Côté, honours the journalist, poet and librarian from Montréal and was created by Cyrielle Tremblay.

The route continues onto bustling Ontario Street before turning down Savoie Avenue, next to the BAnQ, Montréal’s largest library, where you’ll find two murals that fittingly pay tribute to two prominent Québec writers: Hommage à Dany Laferrière, created by Gene Pendon, and Hommage à Émile Nelligan, created by Les Hommes de Lettres.

One street over, at 1681 Saint-Denis Street, artist Mathieu Potvin’s mural, Merci Beau Dommage, is an ode to Québec’s famous folk-rock band.

The final section of the tour comprises a group of six murals created for the Corporation d’Habitation Jeanne-Mance project, Québec’s first public housing project, which today counts 788 apartments. Three of the murals were created as solo works by Philadelphia artist Philip Adams: L’air du temps, at the corner of Émery and Sanguinet Streets, Cessez-le-feu, at 81 De Maisonneuve Boulevard East and Terre d’accueil, at 1695 Saint Dominique Street. The other three are collaborations between Adams and artist David Guinn: Breath of Spring, Winter Haze and Rush of Fall (located at 270, 255 and 193 De Maisonneuve Boulevard East). The murals depict various locations in Montréal and light up the sides of the apartment buildings.