The ongoing affordability crisis has led to a surge in homelessness across Montreal and now one artist is now drawing from his own experiences to amplify the voices that often go unheard.
Laurent Lavaste is weaving images into a common thread that connects us all. He has a mobile exhibition that is a series of drawings of unhoused people.
The idea came to him after arriving in Montreal to attend his daughter’s wedding. Lavaste developed a love for the city and stayed.
But after the end of a decade-long relationship and financial troubles, he ended up pitching a tent near train tracks in December 2023. The artist felt lonely and invisible, but found the same suffering in the unhoused population.
Through his project, Lavaste has learned that it takes very little to become homeless. He has since carried around his project on his bike to showcase his creation and raise awareness.
Watch the video above for the full story.
— with files from Global’s Kalina Laframboise