GALLERY The gallery hosts paintings and sculptures of local artists. The exhibits extend outside. Depending on the season, this space is inhabited by wood carvings, jack-o'-lanterns and ice sculptures. The exhibits change often and reflect the changing moods of the neighbourhood. We come here to discover ourselves.
PANELS A series of panels line St-Laurent from the gallery and leading up to the plaza entrance. On the reverse sides of these panels, facing the interior of the plaza, are paintings. These panels border the outdoor extension of the gallery. As we walk South along St-Laurent towards the plaza entrance next to the café, we capture glimpses of the square within the plaza, glimpses of the paintings on the distant panels. As the gap to any particular panel narrows, the painting on it disappears from view. These glimpses might lure us into the plaza so that we may try to capture the fleeting images.
POND The pond is the focus of an outdoor room created by the surrounding forest. In this shady, damp spot we are invited to read or reflect. Although we hear the soothing sound of running water, all that we see is the still calm of the pond and a splinter of a reflection between the blocks which pave the surroundings.
TOWER The tower consists of a transparent elevator which takes us up and then down again. There is no top floor at which to get out. Such a tower removes the importance from the top view and equalises all views. Rather than foster delusions of grandeur, this tower emphasises moment to moment experiences (without the confusion of making us believe that we're going somewhere). We are acutely aware that view and time cannot be dissociated.
SCREEN The back wing of the café is divided from the main body of the café by a series of screens. The first screen is a grille which allows light to filter through its openings. The second screen is a sheet of frosted glass which diffuses the filtered light. Between the two screens is a staircase leading down towards the washrooms. What we see is the incomplete picture.
EVENT PLAZA The event plaza
filters out the senses and fragments the views. By making us aware that
there is much we cannot see, we appreciate the uniqueness of what we can
see. We mingle with the architecture which slowly reveals the need for
more questioning.