I have always been struck by the tile work and public art in the Montreal metro system. There is something highly satisfying about discovering the geometry, patterns and colour schemes of the individual stations. Inspired by them, I am trying to find the essence of each station and make an image that represents the space.

The concentric tile patterns of the Jean Talon Station have been transcribed into rod format. There are two patterns: one representing the orange line and one for the blue. A third rod is a mix of both. Through a long exposure and the motion of the rotating rod, I’m hoping the concentric circles will reform in interesting ways.

Some variations on the Villa Maria station. One of the graphic design features of the space are the big bands of colour running along the floors and walls. There are also these cool seats integrated into the design that are reminiscent of old cassette player buttons. To achieve the sense of volume and perspective, I’ve added a second axis to the camera motion. As the camera moves up along the vertical axis, dragging the painted rod, the lens is programmed to zoom in and out. I’ve almost been able to get the profile of the seats.

Next station..... Peel. An homage to the circular motifs that adorn the pathways and platforms of the Peel Metro Station. The originals were created in collaboration between Quebec artists, Jean Paul Mousseau's and Claude Vermette in the mid 1960s. There are over 30 of these circles in total, measuring between 12-6 feet in diameter. Each circle is unique and are made from individual glazed ceramic tiles. They are so impressive when you stop to have a closer look. They are so great!! I've painted bands of colour on a dowel that then slowly passed behind a circular cutout. Over a long 60 second exposure, the full circle is revealed.

For Lionel Groulx station, I have painted small wooden disks and have aligned them to recreate the hypnotic floor tile pattern. With the use of a robotic rail and long exposures, the coloured disks are "pulled" across the image plane creating the transparent, layered, 3D effect. I'm excited about the process. It's an interesting mix of screen printing techniques, painting and photography. There are some really interesting possibilities and it's fun to experiment.

Explorations inspired by the the light fixtures that line the platforms of the Peel metro station. Unlike previous stations, I’m using coloured gels and back lighting them rather than using opaque, painted forms. I’m also using a combination of strobe flashes to create the layered grid as I ‘drag’ the camera down along the picture plane.