For over four decades, Lave Auto Laurier has operated out of the same corner on Saint-Urbain and Laurier. But since the 2019 edition of the MURAL Festival, it’s looked a little less like your average car wash. Renowned artist Joshua Vides—known for his stark black-and-white aesthetic that makes 3D objects appear as 2D sketches—was invited to reimagine the site in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Canada.
The result is “Le Lave-Auto,” a permanent installation that blurs the line between utilitarian space and immersive art piece. Vides applied his signature graphic treatment to the entire building and even a Mercedes-Benz parked out front, turning a mundane pit stop into a kind of optical illusion. Owners Royal and Daniel Asselin embraced the transformation, which also served as the stage for an intimate concert in the brand’s Gigs de Garage series. It’s still a functioning car wash—but it now doubles as one of Montreal’s most unexpected landmarks.
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