Roadsworth is a Canadian street artist name used by Peter Gibson. He was born in Toronto but moved to Montreal in 1992. A musician and a street artist who started painting the streets of Montreal in 2001 without permission, and was arrested for it in 2004. By then he realised around 300 works of urban art in Montreal and was charged with 51 counts of public mischief which seemed like the end of his street artist career. However Montrealers and admirers of his work around the world showed their support for his work. Since then he became a well-known street atrist around the world getting invitations to perform street art in different countries like France, Russia, and even organisations like Cirque de Soleil.
Footprint
The footprint is one of Roadsworth best known street painting. He transformed a pedestrian crossing into a giant footprint. What I liked about it is how well disguised it is but yet very creative and interesting. It is hard to see from far but as you come closer to it you realise that it is in fact a giant footprint. As most of his work, Roadsworth tries to integrate messages in his work. The artist tried to demonstrate the inequalities around the world with an ecological footprint. If you’re from Bangladesh, your ‘eco-footprint’ is about the size of a foot, but if you’re from North America it takes up the space of one sidewalk to the next. I feel that it is very creative and it transmits a very powerful message to everyday pedestrians.
The Lost O Project
Traversing the four lanes of Elwick Road in Ashford, this work portrays nature’s own pack of cyclist known as peloton. The Lost O Project (synchronicity) shoes the dynamics of a cycling race and how it can relate to a flock of birds in nature. As cyclists move along the lane, viewers immediately associate the synchronicity of the peloton with flying birds in nature. I like how the birds are portrayed in a very harmonic and synchronic patterns which ressembles those that we see in cycling races. I feel that as a cyclist, seeing this artwork should sort of lead the way and push the competitors to go faster.
Barbed Wire
Barbed Wire is also a famous work in Montreal by Roadsworth. Barbed wires used in wars surround the padestrian crossing. I liked how it demonstrates the strict boundaries and repetitive routines that are imposed into our society. Nobody is allowed to go beyond the barbed wire, we need to stay within the walking space allowed. I felt that it sort of showed how human creativity and imagination (like those of street artists) is limited by western society rules and laws. It brings in the feeling that we live like robots and that we have already drawn and restricted patterns to follow in our lifes.
Roadsworth art transforms urban and public space by expressing his freedom and thoughts. Similar to Maggie Dickinson: “The Making of Space, Race and Place”, his work makes the public rethink what is usually seen as graffiti and vandalism when it actually is art. Like graffiti artists in New York, Roadsworth work is performed onto urban spaces such as roads and building walls. Like in the reading, Peter Gibson was subject to many charges since street art and graffiti is illegal in Montreal as well as in New York.
Sources:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/montreal-street-artist-roadsworth-captured-in-new-documentary-1.757255
Montreal Diary: 'I'm trying to change what I'm known for,' artist Roadsworth says
http://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/street-artist-roadsworth-takes-his-art-indoors
MAKING SPACE and PLACE 