Ya can't truthfully say the city didn't lose one of its quirkier outdoor works when this bit of "inhabitable sculpture" by acclaimed Montreal artist Robert Roussil was taken down, whenever that was.The shot, seen here featuring the chains, was taken back in '68, outside the club on Mountain.
Le Drug was a disco, a restaurant and an art gallery on what used to be a lively strip of clubs, eateries and coffee shops on Mountain Street, north of Burnside (now usually called de Maisonneuve).Here's the site now, on a sort of quiet stretch of semi-upscale frippery.
Roussil, an army veteran who saw WWII service and was introduced to sculpture by the legendary Arthur Lismer, is still alive and kicking.
Here's a 2008 writeup about him from Cannes, France.
Roussil moved to France and was highly irritated when he learned that his chain statue had been sold for scrap.
He also had a huge sculpture on Mont-Royal, between Baveux “Lake” and the Smith house.
ReplyDeleteI recall loving it as a kid, because you could climb inside to some kind of second floor made out of chains and rebar.
Sadly for my childhood memories, it has been torn down some years ago… :(