Artwork at The Quad

The artwork for the exterior of The Quad was created by renowned Montreal artist, Nicolas Baier. It represents a network, a weaving, branching system that simultaneously evokes references to Ivy League university buildings, and cutting edge scientific research, similar to that performed within these same campuses. The artwork draws its inspiration from a classic tree structure, evoking the great tradition of knowledge institutions.

More specifically the depicted networks describe branches of ivy, the shape of a super cluster of galaxies and the human neuronal network, expressed through a progressive multiplication of metaphorical references. The reticular system will transform into a galactic super cluster, dendrites, the vectors describing the planes of a crystal, and the easily recognized organic growth of vines or ivy. These networks will be engraved, through very precise lines that will be engraved into the aluminum panels which form the skin of the building.

With this work, Nicolas seeks to address the fact that everything – ourselves and everything around us – branches out. Everything is interconnected. Art and science have always been tied together as they advance. The great scientific revolutions have often coincided with great artistic periods. These two creative fields of endeavour are really one, in their pursuit of understanding and explaining the realities of the world.

The artwork for The Quad is part of a continuum of Nicolas’ personal creative explorations while belonging to the great tradition of universities, such as York University, and to certain recent discoveries that have helped better interpret the world and the understanding of ourselves.

Wheel of Fortune is a community beacon that promotes inclusion and participation while also celebrating the practice of daily life. This decision wheel speaks to the fact that we are constantly making choices, big and small, that impact our experiences. Akin to a Magic 8 Ball or a chance cube, the coin suggests that it can provide viewers answers to questions they may have, as if speaking directly to them. The coin appears as if it has rolled into the courtyard as it lands on the answer definitely. In any given year, one in five Canadians experiences a mental health challenge or illness, and, by age forty, half of all Canadians will have or will have had a mental illness. At some point, mental illness will impact us all. Studies have proven that when people believe they have a choice or are presented with options and can therefore make a decision, they feel better and more equipped to handle adversity.

Wheel of Fortune is a positive reminder of our shared capacity to make choices big and small. Each choice we make compounds to make a life. And, of course, each day brings different choices. For students who live here or for people who frequently pass by the Quad, the artwork will change as different words resonate at different moments. Its steadfast presence, meanwhile, will become a symbol of reassurance, of home.