Artifacts
The buildings at 5445-5455 were once a central location for Montreal’s garment industry. When CLARK moved to de Gaspé in 2002, several textile wholesalers still had offices in the mostly-vacant building. Over the next decade, as artist’s studios in the building and the
surrounding Mile End neighbourhood flourished, garment manufacturers and wholesalers gradually shut down or migrated to larger and cheaper warehouse space in districts such as Chabanel. In 2011, Allied purchased the building at de Gaspé. Tenants were informed of Allied’s intention to terminate extant leases after their terms expired.
In the subsequent five years, as real estate speculation in the Mile End accelerated, many artists were forced out of other similarly long-standing studio buildings, and struggled to find affordable studio spaces. Chabanel became a viable option for artists in need of affordable workspace, and many have now relocated their studios north of Autoroute 40. As entire floors of the buildings at Chabanel are renovated and transformed into artists’ studios, there are indications that garment shops are closing or moving away from Chabanel. The items here displayed have been collected from Chabanel: a selection of what has been abandoned by shuttered, departing or evicted textile shops. I invited artists who previously rented studios at de Gaspé and who currently rent studio space at Chabanel to join me in a walking procession from Chabanel to CLARK as a means to transport these items into the gallery.
The following artists participated in the procession:
Valérie Blass, Cynthia Girard-Renard, Karen Kraven, Caroline Mauxion, Juan Ortiz-Apuy, Celia Perrin Sidarous, John Eden Player, Sarah Pupo, and Matt Shane.