I was torn today between celebrating 50 years of Dr Who or commemorating 50 years since JFK’s assassination.

I see Google went with the former for their doodle,which I must say was one of their best doodles ever – I’m happy to say I only wasted 10 minutes playing the ‘PacMan on steroids’ game 😉

Having no ‘Dr Who’ London style police telephone box to go and photograph, I decided I would pay respect to John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) by photographing the memorial bust that is located on the street named in his honour – Avenue du Président Kennedy.

Montreal’s JFK monument
ISO 400 – 85mm – f1.8 – 1/125 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Montreal’s JFK monument
ISO 400 – 85mm – f1.8 – 1/125 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Montreal’s JFK monument
ISO 400 – 85mm – f1.8 – 1/125 sec

The monument was produced by Paul Lancz in 1986 and donated to the city by the Birks Family Foundation. Originally the monument was in the Place des Arts sector, but was moved to its current location on the corner of avenue du Président Kennedy and avenue McGill College in 2012 due to the development of the Promenade des Artistes.

Lancz studied at the Budapest School of Fine Arts. For three years he worked with Professor Kisfaludy Szigmond, a noted Hungarian sculptor. Lancz emigrated to Canada with his wife in 1956. His first important commission upon arriving was a bust of Abraham Bronfman, Montreal philanthropist, and has since produced countless works of art – many of which can be found in Montreal. Tenderness, depicting mother and child in white marble, is possible one of his better known works and can be seen on Sherbrooke street.

He also sculpted the bust of Raoul Wallenberg erected in 1996 in Raoul Wallenberg Square, the courtyard behind Christ Church Cathedral I discovered that Paul Lancz was one of the Budapest Jews that Wallenberg rescued from Nazi deportation – so very fitting that he did the wonderful sculptor in Raoul’s honour.

The JFK bust is now set on a new pedestal of Québec black granite produced by Les Carrières Ducharme inc. and sculpted by Régis Eroyan.

Montreal’s JFK monument
ISO 400 – 85mm – f1.8 – 1/30 sec

As a side note. My original plan for marking today’s 50th anniversary was to shoot the moon in the background of the JFK bust. Yesterday morning was clear blue sky and I noticed the moon was descending over Mount Royal and I think I could have got the shot I envisaged – but a bit difficult without having the camera with me. It would have been a nice tribute to the fact JFK launched the race to land man on the moon. Unfortunately today it was overcast and raining 🙁

Avenue du Président-Kennedy

The street was named in honour of the President in 1964 and runs from rue Mansfield in the West to Boulevard Saint-Laurent in the East and lies south of Sherbrooke street.

The avenue is nothing special, except perhaps the section that runs past the Quartier des Spectacles.

Avenue du Président Kennedy
ISO 100 – 85mm – f3.5 – 1/6 sec

Avenue du Président Kennedy
ISO 400 – 16mm – f5 – 1/30 sec

Also along avenue du Président-Kennedy is the UQAM Président Kennedy Pavilion (adjacent to the Church of St. John The Evangelist, notable for its red roof).

UQAM’s President Kennedy Pavilion
ISO 400 – 10mm – f18 – 1.3 secs

UQAM’s President Kennedy Pavilion
ISO 100 – 10mm – f4 – 0.5 sec

Maybe I’ll go and play the Google Dr Who game now to show some respect for the long running great British TV show.

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.

– Martin

Montréal in Pictures

Your virtual guide in and around Montréal

Related Images: