Collage

Looking out from the top floor of the EV building at Concordia University, a collage of structures makeup the skyline. Large glass skyscrapers and residential housing stand beside each other, making it almost impossible to tell which came first. The view is so full, it seems as if all the buildings sprouted and grew at once, with no more possible room for any additional structures to be built.

There are so many structures, in fact, that it becomes difficult to look at just one at a time. My eye wanders to the variating heights and colours, trying to navigate which building is closest to me. Although all different, the buildings create a sense of sameness, of unity, and it becomes hard to distinguish one from the other. One building, weaved between windows and balconies, piques my interest— it has a round but sharp sculpture on its roof. “Who is this sculpture for?” I ask myself. I gather that the sculpture is likely not intended to please the building’s residents, but rather those who live and work around it. As a creative addition to the skyline’s collage, it breaks the pattern and invites reflection within the still environment.

I was relieved to lay eyes on this sculpture as it created an anchor point for my observation and reflection. As big as two storeys, this sculptural work reminded me of a hand-pressed juicer. I could imagine a large lemon being pressed down onto the building, leading sour juice to leak from its sharp edges. Like the environment, this artwork was made through collage— the background was painted with traditional watercolour, then the lemon and juice were added through digital drawing. I wonder what others see the work as from the varying views from within surrounding buildings.