500 m
Transforming street surfaces into geometric abstractions that seamlessly integrate with their urban environments.
Transformative // Geometric // Abstractions
Step into the mesmerizing world of Mathieu Connery (500M), where geometric abstractions transform ordinary urban surfaces into three-dimensional optical illusions that seamlessly integrate with and reimagine their environment through his distinctive "Incrustations Urbaines" series..
"Nixon" (c. 2014-2015),
Masterfully synthesized geometric abstraction and socio-political commentary through this signature "Incrustations Urbaines" approach. The work transforms a weathered concrete surface with a boldly delineated black silhouette housing a complex interior of primary-colored geometric forms that evoke Russian Constructivism and Miró's playful chromatics. Connery's cubist-inspired deconstruction of facial features—rectangular forms in cerulean blue and cadmium yellow—creates an implied visage through strategic positioning rather than literal representation, while his deliberate integration of the wall's textural imperfections demonstrates his philosophical commitment to environmental symbiosis. The inclusion of "NIXON" in stylized typography anchors the work in political discourse while maintaining formal ambiguity, positioning Connery within the lineage of politically engaged street artists like Basquiat while exemplifying his unique contribution to contemporary urban art: a sophisticated visual language that transforms public space through geometric abstraction while maintaining a profound connection to its physical and social context.
500m’s "Incrustations Urbaines”
The three installations presented here demonstrate Connery's systematic exploration of spatial perception through varied compositional strategies. In the first work, angular geometric elements in primary colors create an asymmetrical arrangement that appears to hover above the concrete surface. The second installation employs a more structured grid of colored cubes that alternately recede and project from the sidewalk plane, creating a rhythmic visual cadence. The third piece utilizes intersecting linear elements to suggest a floating lattice structure, demonstrating Connery's ability to achieve maximum perceptual effect through minimal formal means.
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In this series of sidewalk interventions we are presented with a compelling reimagining of urban space through geometric abstraction and optical illusion. These works, created for the Montreal MURAL Festival on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, exemplify Connery's "Incrustations Urbaines" philosophy—a sophisticated approach to integrating artistic expression with the quotidian urban landscape.
Connery's sidewalk installations operate at the intersection of several significant art historical traditions. His meticulous geometric compositions evoke the perceptual investigations of Op Art pioneers like Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley, while his reductive formal vocabulary and emphasis on primary colors recall both Concrete Art and Neo-Plasticism. Yet these works transcend mere historical reference through their site-specific nature and democratic positioning within public space.