The mandate was to design a cultural catalogue showcasing the public artworks found throughout the Montreal Metro. Using information and imagery from the STM archives, the challenge was to organize historical, artistic, and descriptive content into a refined editorial layout, balancing photography, artwork, typography, and negative space to create an editorial publication that feels both informative and gallery-like.
The approach was rooted in the idea of a poetic documentary, treating Montreal Metro as a hidden cultural archive woven into everyday movement. Inspired by the notion of art existing in plain sight, the publication was editorially curated rather than exhaustive, selecting specific stations that together reflect different artistic periods, materials, and atmospheres across the network. Through fragmented image compositions, macro photography, cinematic “film strip” sequences, and restrained typography, the design captures the fleeting way commuters encounter these artworks, glimpsed between motion, routine, and transit. The result transforms the metro from a functional space into a timeless underground gallery waiting to be rediscovered.
The final solution brings the publication into the realm of both editorial object and cultural guide. Produced as a perfect-bound book, the series explores material contrast through two finishes: matte soft-touch lamination for a tactile, archival feel, and glossy lamination that references the visual language of contemporary magazines. Each edition is curated through the colour system of the Montreal Metro lines—green, orange, blue, and yellow—allowing the books to function as distinct visual journeys across the network. Beyond documentation, the publication also encourages exploration, subtly transforming the reader into a visitor navigating Montréal’s underground gallery with the book acting as a poetic touristic companion. A second edition may be released to discover more artworks!
Mockups sourced from talented contributors on Mockup Maison. Thank you to Société de transport de Montréal, Christopher Forsyth, and Isabelle Gadbois behind the provided photography. Unless otherwise noted, photography and visual direction by :DLKA.
