Between mid-February and early March of 2017, four urban Montreal artists worked together to create the mural, on the forward façade of the accomodations block of the bulk carrier CSL St-Laurent. The monumental mural was created over a few weeks.
The Sea Keeper/Gardien des eaux, art conceived by Montreal urban artist Bryan Beyung, depicts a Canada goose with its powerful wings spread in flight, its forward motion a tribute to Montreal and to Canada.
The instantly recognizable Canada Goose is a familiar sight along the banks of the St. Lawrence Seaway and represents the vessel sailing in harmony with nature. It was natural, then, that the bird in flight would be depicted on the CSL-commissioned mural to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday, the 375th anniversary of the City of Montreal, and the roles of the St. Lawrence Seaway, marine transport, and CSL itself in building the nation and the City.
CSL says that the mural’s overall impact is both inspiring and hopeful to the seafarers who will sail with it everyday and to the thousands of people on the shores of the Great Lakes and St-Lawrence River who will watch it as CSL St-Laurent and her Sea Keeper sail by.
CSL chose CSL St-Laurent to host the tribute to Montreal and Canada, because her name honours the St. Lawrence River, and her technology and seamanship is fully aligned with the environmentally-responsible cargo vessels.
Painting an original work-of-art of this scale of a a ship was a first for the artists, a first for CSL and a first for a Canadian commercial vessel. Video depicting the mural creation may be viewed herebelow:
Source & Image credit: CSL Group
