Rouge Montréal

The print represents an altered version of the Montreal city logo. The original version was created by graphic designer Georges Huel in 1981. The emblem, which takes its inspiration from the city’s coat of arms, is a minimalist logo that is shaped like a flower, in which each petal forms the letters V and M (the initials for “Ville de Montréal.”). The intersecting lines at the centre of the logo symbolizes the city’s vocation as a crossroads of communication and civilization.

I grew up in Montreal; it’s where I live today and so, most of my inspiration for this print stems from this familiar place in my memories. Also, I’ve always found the logo itself quite interesting. The idea behind this version was to claim ownership of the symbol for the vibrant artistic community that truly makes Montreal a dynamic city. I wanted it to look like it could’ve been made by any graffiti artist on a street corner; something that feels unruly and raw.