Darling Foundry
The Darling Foundry (French: Fonderie Darling) is a contemporary art complex located in the Cité du Multimédia district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Located in a former foundry, the complex consists of an art gallery and artists studios.
History
The foundry was constructed in 1880 by the Darling brothers due to the high demand for metal in the construction of machinery, ships and the railway. It was later expanded several times between 1888 and 1918.[1] Once complete, the complex consisted of four buildings, each with a specific role in the process of the foundry.[1] The foundry became the second largest in Montreal, was at full capacity until the 1970s and employed 800 people.[1]
The foundry was purchased by the Pumps & Softener Company in 1971, amid a downturn in the industry. The foundry eventually shut down completely in 1991.[1]
Arts organization Quartier Éphémère moved into the complex in the 1990s. The city of Montreal owned the building and let the organization move in at no charge in exchange for maintaining the building and turning it into an events venue.[2][1] The building was in disrepair when Quartier Éphémère moved in, however, by the early 2000s, financing was obtained and the building was renovated.[2][1]
Today, the building contains 3,500 square metres (38,000 sq ft) of space dedicated to the visual arts.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 McMullan, Thomas J. "The Darling Foundry: Once Heart of Industry Now Home to Artists". The Main Media. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Quartier Éphémère and the Darling Foundry". Heritage Montreal. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
External links
Coordinates: 45°29′52″N 73°33′24″W / 45.49775°N 73.5568°W