Written by Ania Szneps on 10.11.16

If you were to browse through an art book, it would be fair to say that the weather and the environment in general are often used as muses for artists of various mediums. In fact, as last Thursday’s cloudy and irregular rain pattern cleared towards the evening to make way for the warm temperature, a similar occurrence could be detected on Saint-Laurent at Station 16 Gallery, which hosted a vernissage for Toronto-born, Montreal-based street artist Waxhead.

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The artist, who collects cabinet cards (or cartes-de-visites), which were on display at the gallery, adds his signature spin to them with the strange, dripping, waxy creature that springs from his imagination. Browsing through the works, it was plain to see a definite push-and-pull attitude between his sense of whimsy and dark humour.

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So what’s all this about comparing art to the weather? Well, as much as Montreal’s forecast is known for its unpredictability, so too can this pattern be detected in Waxhead’s work, as he adds pops of bright colours which contrast greatly with the black and white photographs they are painted over. Add to this the unexpected designs and humorous creatures lurking in the photographs, and you’ve got another manifestation of what is known as autumn in our complex city.

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If you’d like to check out Waxhead’s art for yourself, head over to Station 16 Gallery (which will be displaying this artist’s work until November 14th) and see how old-world relics and contemporary views cohabitate in one small photograph.

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Location: Station 16 Gallery, 3523 Boul. St-Laurent
Date: November 3 to November 14th, 2016
Price: Free!

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Photos provided by Ania Szneps and Station 16.

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