Gilbert Boyer
Mémoire ardente
1994
Crédit photo: Guy L'Heureux, 2012
Presentation of the artwork
The artwork is composed of a cube of pink granite whose walls are pierced with holes. The exterior surface has been left rough, whereas the interior surface is polished and poetic phrases are engraved on it in black. The cube sits on a stainless steel base. A stainless steel column, on which appears an inscription about the 350th anniversary of Montréal, completes the artwork.Mémoire ardente is designed as a contemporary monument, a historical marker, a reminder of the origin and history of Montréal, and of the celebrations marking its 350th anniversary. A receptacle of memory that reveals the archaeological strata of the city’s past, the artwork evokes a chambre ardente. This large granite cube invites viewers to discover phrases revealing information about Montréal and its past.
Associated events
The artwork was commissioned for the celebrations of the 350th anniversary of Montréal.
Gilbert Boyer
Gilbert Boyer has a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from the Université du Québec à Montréal (1973) and a master’s degree in visual arts from Concordia University (1986). His work offers a bridge between the everyday and history, art and the public space. Boyer has produced a number of works of public art, including I Looked for Sarah Everywhere (1994) at the Toronto Sculpture Garden and Adresses personnelles (1996) in Aulnoy-Lez-Valenciennes, France.
