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Photographer captures spirit of Montreal in bus stop exhibition

Click to play video: 'Photography exhibition in Montreal’s bus shelters'
Photography exhibition in Montreal’s bus shelters
WATCH ABOVE: Montreal photographer Monic Richard presents fifteen portraits of inspiring Montrealers featured inside the city’s bus shelter – Aug 9, 2017

If you’re walking past a Montreal bus stop in the near future, you may notice a few familiar (or not so familiar) faces next to you.

Starting July 24, the photographs of 14 inspiring Montrealers will be displayed in over 200 bus shelters across the city.

It’s a first in Quebec; local photographer Monic Richard created the street-side project, titled Inspiring Montrealers, in collaboration with the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).

“To do a nice portrait is to represent the person like they are,” Richard explained.

“[Architect] Phyllis Lambert, she has a strength and she is something and she did so much for Montreal and she’s unbelievable. She’s a great Montrealer and sometimes we forget about those people.”

The 14 Montrealers, including Montreal Symphony Orchestra maestro Kent Nagano; singer Leonard Cohen, model Ève Salvail and pianist Oliver Jones, were chosen because they “marked and inspired the city’s diverse history.”

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“It’s a tribute to  Montrealers and to see them in a gallery, I couldn’t picture it,” she said, adding that she photographed people from all walks of life.

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“It’s an homage to Montrealers who influenced generations: men, women, old, young, anglophones, francophones.”

Richard said the STM jumped on the project when she proposed it as bus shelters are at almost every street corner, allowing Montrealers and visitors to see the photographers.

“It was the first time for them to have the chance to exhibit something other than advertising,” she explained.

“I wanted to be where people are and occupy the public space. Artists are attracted to that which is unconventional, and for me, bus shelters are part of Montreal’s street furniture as well as an unconventional medium for art.”

Portraits of 14 inspiring Montrealers will be on display in bus stops across the city starting July 24, 2017. Monic Richard

She said she hopes artists will continue to have the opportunity to showcase their work across the city.

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“It would be nice to have more, especially this year, that’s the year to do it [because it’s the 375th anniversary],” Richard told Global News.

“There are visitors from outside, so it’s great for them to learn about real Montrealers.”

The photographs will be on display throughout the summer.

Stumbled across one of the bus stops? Send us a picture on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

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