A circle that tells the neighbourhood’s story
Its shape grows out of the circle and suggests continuous motion. Silos, gears, pulleys and bolts were long part of the landscape of this former industrial hub, which grew up along the Lachine Canal. By echoing that roundness in polished steel, the work links Griffintown’s working-class past with what it has become.
The title points the same way. Here, the Tower of Babel is seen through a social lens: a meeting place where people from different cultures come together and understand one another. It’s an idea that resonates with a neighbourhood shaped by several waves of immigration.
Fold, light and body
Jean-François Roy moves between sculpture and drawing. After studying architecture, he turned to art and now focuses his work on a simple gesture: the fold.
By folding a sheet of metal, he creates volume without adding anything, bringing out both a structure and a space. In BABEL, the steel looks solid and light at the same time. Light plays its part too: as it slides across the folds, it creates reflections and shadows that give the work new depth.
The result is more than an object to look at: it’s a place to pass through and pause. Both sculpture and bench, BABEL has become a landmark for people in the neighbourhood.
Produced with Artbangbang and developer Prével, and presented by Corridor Culturel, BABEL stands at 1730 William Street, at the corner of the alley between William and Richmond streets.
This project was made possible through financial support from the Gouvernement du Québec’s Fonds signature métropole.
