Art at the Port of Montreal
Many works of art find their perfect setting at the Port of Montreal, whether in the public spaces open to visitors at the Port’s Grand Quay, in its different administrative buildings, or to be hung as a gift after the traditional presentation of plaques to the captains of ships making their maiden voyage to Montreal. Below is an overview of the works of art connected to the Port of Montreal’s premises and history.
Displayed on the forecourt of the Montreal Port Tower, the sculptural installation Hydrospheres by Linda Covit was inspired by the theme of water as a tribute to the St. Lawrence River. The work was commissioned by the MPA as part of a competition organized by the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. According to a time-honoured tradition at the Port of Montreal, a plaque is presented to the master of every vessel (cargo or cruise ship) calling at the Port of Montreal for the first time. Since 2024, this symbolic gift has taken the form of a work of art entitled All Aboard, created by Manon Sioui, a multidisciplinary artist from Wendake and member of the Huron-Wendat Nation. On the main floor of the Port of Montreal Tower, the lobby opens onto a large wall mural by Jordi Bonet. Commissioned by the Port of Montreal in 1967 to mark the construction of the passenger terminal, this work embodies the artist’s vision of public art anchored in the context of the site where it is displayed. Accordingly, the work represents the sun as a symbol of tourism and hospitality, four plaques located at each corner call to mind the points of the compass, and other, more abstract elements refer to telluric forces. Commissioned by the Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition, this sculpture was part of a series of forty sculptures by local artists designed to showcase contemporary Canadian sculpture to visitors from around the world. These works were selected by a committee tasked with ensuring that the works originated from various regions of the country and represented current artistic trends.
Hydrospheres, by Linda Covit
Leurs effigies, by Yann Pocreau
All aboard, by Manon Sioui
Untitled, by Jordi Bonet
Lunatique, by Richard Turner
