A whale of a public art exhibit; artist pays tribute to last year's giant St. Lawrence mammal
For a brief period, a wayward whale in the St. Lawrence River captured the hearts of Montrealers. While the aquatic mammal's journey ended tragically, a piece of art by sculptor Geraldine Laurendeau pays tribute to the beloved creature.
The work isn't just an ode, however; it's a reminder of humanity's responsibilities to the environment.
“I'm on a project with the umbrella species, which is an ecological term for a species where, if we protect its habitat, we will protect a bunch of other species living in the same ecosystem,” said Laurendeau. “I took the opportunity of that humpback whale that came in the St. Lawrence last summer.”
Previously located in Lasalle, the piece of public art has now moved upstream to the Lachine waterfront.
The whale isn't the only animal she's featured in her work. Caribou, which are classified as threatened, have also attracted Laurendeau's attention. A sculpture of a woodland caribou is also on display.
“Mountain caribou and forest caribou are declining very fast. The Val d'Or caribou, they wanted to put in a zoo. Charlevoix caribou are being reintroduced but are still declining. Gaspesie has an isolated population that's still very fragile,” she said.
The artwork is displayed in a public, heavily trafficked space because Laurendeau said she wants people to be able to touch them.
“It's a way to sensitize them. Then, people feel empathy and have an interest and they go search a little more,” she said.
The sculptures will be on display at the Lachine waterfront at 32nd Ave. until September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.