Shoddy Repairs – Montreal Walls – Fourteen

See more of Montreal Walls…

In front of this wall there is a famous bronze statue of three women whispering to each other (see Les Chuchoteuses). It sits in front of The Keg restaurant on St-Paul street in old Montreal. I remember the wall behind it being a different colour, and I can imaging what the old bricks look like. What really caught my eye here was the layers of whitewash that seem to have been accumulating over the years and the contrast of how the latest sprayed-on coat almost destroys the charm of the aged paint layers beneath it. I think it’s the lack of pride the latest painters demonstrate in their work; seen here in the fact they painted over the bronze plaque describing the statues mentioned above. Granted, whitewashing surfaces has never been a quality solution, but at least when they rolled or brushed it on thickly, it added texture to the surfaces. I guess that’s what upset me the most… a poorly done job that adds nothing to the aesthetics of an aging city. Maybe it’s something else that irked me, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Regardless, this wall, which I may not have noticed in the past, has drawn an emotional response.

More to come…