Fonderie Darling

Fonderie Darling is a contemporary art complex located in the Cité du Multimédia district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Located in a former foundry, the complex consists of an art gallery and artists studios.[1]

Fonderie Darling
Fonderie Darling
Fonderie Darling is located in Montreal
Fonderie Darling
Location of the Fonderie Darling in Montreal
Established2002
Location745, rue Ottawa
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates45°29′51.78″N 73°33′24.29″W
TypeVisual Art Center
DirectorCaroline Andrieux
Websitewww.fonderiedarling.org
Inside Fonderie Darling, with "Tapis de Sucre 3" from Aude Moreau
View from corner Ottawa and Queen, with Courte-Pointe from Philippe Allard and Justin Duchesneau

Its mission is to support the creation, production, and dissemination of visual art; it seeks at once to question the role of art and artists in the heart of the city, and to promote that role.

Description

Fonderie Darling located in an industrial building that was used by the Darling company between 1889 and 1971 to produce metal castings for industrial equipment.[2][3] The building ceased to be used for commercial purposes in 1991.[4]

In 1993, Montreal cultural organization Quartier Éphémère began to invest in 'in situ' projects within vacant or abandoned Montreal industrial buildings and to reach a diverse public, off of the beaten track of contemporary art. is one of QE’s projects.[5] By turning buildings which were about to be demolished into artistic place, the association saved a total of 3500 square meters in the Faubourg des Recollets’s area.

Fonderie Darling visual arts centre started its activity by opening its exhibition area in 2002. In 2006, the association inaugurated 12 artists studios in the second part of the building. The building is classified as an "exceptional heritage value building" in the Montreal Built Heritage great repertoire. Its transformation from a foundry into an art center was one of the first industrial heritage recycling success.

Fonderie Darling supports different kinds of projects, sometimes highly technological, or risky, but always experimental, and open to the world of possibilities.[6]

History

The foundry was constructed in 1880 by the Darling brothers due to the high demand for metal in the construction of machinery, ships and the railway. It was later expanded several times between 1888 and 1918.[7] Once complete, the complex consisted of four buildings, each with a specific role in the process of the foundry.[7] The foundry became the second largest in Montreal, was at full capacity until the 1970s and employed 800 people.[7]

The foundry was purchased by the Pumps & Softener Company in 1971, amid a downturn in the industry. The foundry eventually shut down completely in 1991.[7]

Arts organization Quartier Éphémère created and directed by Caroline Andrieux moved into the complex in the 1990s.[8] The city of Montreal owned the building and let the organisation move in at no charge in exchange for maintaining the building and turning it into an events venue.[7][9] The building was in disrepair when Quartier Éphémère moved in, however, by the early 2000s, financing was obtained and the building was renovated.[7][9]

Today, the building contains 3,500 square metres (38,000 sq ft) of space dedicated to the visual arts.[9]

Selected exhibitions

References
  1. Delgado, Jérôme (2022-10-01). "L'incontournable Fonderie Darling, vingt ans plus tard". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  2. Nancy H. Dunton; Helen Malkin (2008). A Guidebook to Contemporary Architecture in Montreal. Douglas & McIntyre. pp. 68–. ISBN 978-1-55365-346-2.
  3. International Molders' and Foundry Workers' Journal. International Molders' and Foundry Workers' Union of North America. January 1961.
  4. Rhona Richman Kenneally; Johanne Sloan (2010). Expo Sixty Seven. University of Toronto Press. pp. 213–. ISBN 978-0-8020-9708-8.
  5. Conseil jeunesse de Montréal (20 June 2017). Opinion Paper on the use of vacant space in Montréal: a youth perspective. Conseil jeunesse de Montréal. pp. 82–. ISBN 978-2-7647-1562-8.
  6. Monet, Nicolas (2022-09-26). ""Éphémère Forever": la Fonderie Darling célèbre ses 20 ans". Journal Métro (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  7. McMullan, Thomas J. "The Darling Foundry: Once Heart of Industry Now Home to Artists". The Main Media. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  8. McLaughlin, Bryne. "Caroline Andrieux: Build and They Will Come". Canadian Art. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  9. "Quartier Éphémère and the Darling Foundry". Heritage Montreal. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  10. "Stan Douglas - Stan Douglas - Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal" (in French). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  11. Delgado, Jérôme. "Arts visuels - Le retour de Jana Sterbak". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  12. Roberge, Caroline (2010-04-23). "Eija-Liisa Ahtila : La vidéo en polyphonie". EX_SITU (in French). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  13. Charron, Marie-Ève. "Expos - Faire son cinéma". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  14. Delgado, Jérôme. "Expositions - Une mer d'îlots conceptuels". Le Devoir (in French). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  15. "Visual arts: Two artists search for the emotional and intellectual core of existence". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  16. Marsillo, Cassandra. "von Brandenburg and Lescarbeau take Darling Foundry". Montreal Rampage. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  17. Bolduc, Éric (2018-06-08). "Potentiels évoqués visuels". rats de ville. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  18. Nesbitt, Sarah. "Barbara Steinman at the Darling Foundry". Akimbo. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  19. Campbell, James. "Barbara Steinman at Darling Foundry". Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  20. Rosenthal, Nora (2020-03-11). "At Fonderie Darling: nonsense social criticism & excellent chairs". Cult MTL. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
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