Aire de repos Murdoch

The work was produced for the City of Rouyn-Noranda as part of the CULTURAT projects and is found on the grounds of the Dave Keon arena.

Artists : Luc Boyer, Alexandre Castonguay and Natacha Bernèche 

Mediums : Wood and painted steel

Year : 2015

In the fall of 2015, the City of Rouyn-Noranda inaugurated a new convivial and artistic rest area in the cultural neighbourhood of Old Noranda.

This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Loto‑Québec Collection, as part of its 35th anniversary project series under the theme 'The Art of Sharing'. The City had been invited to propose a sustainable and accessible cultural legacy project in conjunction with the travelling exhibition Territoires imaginés, which was installed at the Rouyn-Noranda Exhibition Centre in the fall of 2014.

Following a public vote, which took place from May 18th to 31st, 2015, in partnership with Radio NRJ, the winning project was the one submitted by the Artcad Consulting Group and artists Alexandre Castonguay and Luc Boyer.

A multitude of logs blending into the landscape and creating a sculptural effect.

Layered layers add richness and depth to this artwork!

Luc Boyer was born in Quebec City in 1955. He lived there for a few years as well as in Hull and Laval. In 1982, he moved to Rouyn-Noranda with his family.

He has worked as an event coordinator for the City of Rouyn-Noranda (La fête d’hiver Winter Festival and La fête d’été Summer Festival), territory development technician (MRC), as a high school art teacher, as a lecturer at the University of Quebec and as a teacher in the art department of the Cégep de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

He has been a member of juries, received prizes and bursaries, participated in visual arts symposiums, artist residencies, live creations, solo exhibitions (11) and group exhibitions (105). He has created two permanent sculptures as part of the policy of integrating the arts into architecture and the environment, one in Val-d'Or and the other in Montreal.

Website : lucboyer.ca

It was in 2003 and after his studies in theatrical interpretation at the cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe, that Alexandre Castonguay returned to his native region. It is worth mentioning that since then, the number of trips between Montreal and Rouyn-Noranda for his auditions and projects continue to increase. He also had the lead role in several films including La rage de l’ange (2006), La chasse au Godard d’Abbittibbi (2013), and more recently, Cash Nexus (2019).

An artist of multiple talents, he writes, he acts, and he writes scripts. He is also the recipient of several awards and bursaries, including two in screenwriting from the SODEC, the prix de la Culture (Culture award), volet artiste (Rouyn-Noranda), the prix Artiste professionnel (Conseil de la culture de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue) (Professional Artist award), as well as the prix Culture et ruralité (Rouyn-Noranda) (Culture and rurality award).

His practice, based on encounters, territory, randomness, accidents, deconstruction and reconstruction of theatrical codes, contributes to the beauty of the region.

Photo credit : Christian Leduc

Natacha Bernèche is an architect having over 25 years of experience in the field. She directs, with Joël Sirard, ARTCAD, a local architectural firm which has developed a solid expertise in culture, as well as in several other activity sectors.