Anyway today I planned to go to the Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal, Contemporary Art, but after I looked it up online it didn't look like something I wanted to see. So I looked up other Art Galleries and I found the Museum of Fine Art. It looked more interesting and it was free to visit. By the time I left the apartment, it was mid afternoon. When I got off the Metro I went the wrong way down the street. After I got turned around and found where I was going it was 3:30ish. I wanted to see as much art as I could, but the place closes at 5. So I walked all the way up to the 4th level.
The 4th level is a permanent collection from the Middle Ages to the Belle Epoque. There were some nice pieces, none that I really knew. There were, at least 2, that stand out to me, I don't remember the artist or the name of them. But they had faces and the faces were lit by candle light, they were so real looking that the flame looked as if it flickered.
The highlight of this visit was the temporary exhibit named "Big Bang", I wasn't sure what to expect. The first was a comic strip, there were 8 or more pictures and they led (loosely explained) a sculpture.
Basically a current 'artist' (one was graffiti, one was a video, there was a music one, fashion and the comic strip) took an old or older art piece and did sort of a complementary piece. I'd say there were 15 or 20ish. Another one that I remember well I walked though a door frame and was faced with a wall of patio chairs, like floor to ceiling, high ceiling. I walked around them, they were in a square, like a fence (a very high fence) and there was a space and in the middle was this green chair made out of nylon, I think it said, it was like strips of green plastic but made a chair. Then I read on the wall that there were 2000 chairs in the 'new' art and the green one was the old art.
The graffiti one was in this room and the walls were covered in graffiti the original was a large piece, with a white background and black paintings on it, the new art was all black and white and random and they had bean bag chairs to sit and look at everything that was on the walls. It was really cool exhibit. I'm going to go back because I missed the bottom floor, due to lack of time.
After I visited the gift shop, it was 5:30ish and I knew the Metro would be packed so to avoid a panic attack, I decided to walk around.
I'm not sure what street I was on but it was busy! It could have been because of the time or because Christmas was is so close or both. But it was crazy! I didn't stop anywhere and I didn't have anywhere to go so I just went with 'the flow' so to speak. Once I had enough of the literal 'hustle and bustle' I turned down a different street. I admit I was a little freaked out, I went from a crazy busy street to a street with maybe 10 people on it, not to mention the strip joint. [I have to admit I smiled when I saw the glitter on the side walk.] I kept walking and the next thing I knew I was staring at The Bell Centre!! OK, I'll admit that I knew I was in the general area of the Bell Centre but I had no idea where I really was.
I took my good fortune as a chance to walk around the building. I would have gone to Le Cage aux Sports for supper, but it was game night (the Habs were in Winnipeg) so the place was packed and the game didn't start for an hour or more. So I carried on my way, I had my first 'run-in' with a scalper, although I am still not sure what he was selling. I thought I heard him say 'tickets for tonight' but as I already mentioned the Habs were out of town. Next I saw the sculptures of the greats and The Habs Zone, it looked open so I walked towards it. Turns out I had just missed it but don't worry I plan to go back. As I was heading back the way I came, there was a homeless guy saying something but I have become pretty good at ignoring them. However, an older gentle man approached me and asked me directions. Since I barely knew where I was headed, I told him that I was sorry but had no idea, in French of course.
I found the Metro station after that and headed home. Another successful day in the big city!
~believe.
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