by KRISTIAN GRAVENOR

Veteran archaeologist Daniel Marchand has spent many days digging through pits of soil in search of ancient artifacts. But 18 months ago Marchand suddenly had an inkling to look upward and into the future for beauty and meaning.

While driving to his assignment sifting through ancient muck at the Monk bridge construction site, Marchand looked 60 feet up at the twisted, intertwining strands of concrete spaghetti known as the Turcot Interchange.

"The shape is beautiful. It's already a sculpture but an unfinished sculpture," says Marchand about the raised concrete, grey highways that can blot out the sunlight over parts of St-Henri.

Marchand's artistic epiphany involves a notion to colourize the gloomy grey transport ramps. "I picked up the phone to call and ask about how to ask about this. I got through to Transports Québec and you can imagine that the receptionist had no idea what I was talking about," says Marchand, who lives in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

But instead of letting the idea slip, Marchand got to work on a proposal that rapidly gained the support of a wide range of artists, politicians and industry. His detail-jammed proposal booklet contains support letters from Parks Canada, which runs the Lachine Canal, RESO, an urban renewal group for the Montreal's southwest, the province and the city, as well as various private companies.

Marchand wants to paint the long-legged bases and underside of the highways dull black "in order to give the impression that the highways are floating independently." The outside of each highway would be painted a different colour and detailed frescoes would be added later. The entire project would cost, according to his calculations, around $3.8-million. That's the equivalent of one per cent of the estimated cost of repairs that a recent SNC-Lavalin report suggests the highways must undergo in coming years.

"When a building goes up, the owner must devote one per cent of its budget to some sort of art project on the site. I see this as the same sort of thing, one per cent of the cost of repairs would go to making one of the world's biggest frescoes and creating a famous landmark," he says. Nothing in the law, however, suggests that one per cent of road repairs must be put aside for art, he acknowledges.

Turtles and spaceships

Marchand has conscripted 11 notable local artists into the effort. Michel Cormier's linear concrete canvas would feature square-shaped humans on green. Reynald Connolly's section would feature turtles marching on a yellow backdrop. Anne Massicotte plans black and white sketches on blue. Frank Chatel proposes white and red birds flying over a blue sky. Danielle Cadieux would paint multicoloured human silhouettes on orange. Diane Giguère black and white sketches of machinery on turquoise. Claude Paul Gauthier would draw vessels, including boats and spacecraft on a yellow base. Grant Mathieu plans black shadows of human movement on red, Claude Lamarche would do her zone in slanted zebra stripes and Marlène Couet horizontal trees on lime green. Daniel Marchand's own section would feature colourful gargoyles on a pink background.

The sullen industrial area beneath the interchange is neither heavily populated nor travelled. Indeed, former mayor Bourque briefly proposed a garbage sorting site in the area. But Marchand says those enjoying the Lachine Canal would be treated to a great view of the fresco, as well as those inside the proposed McGill superhospital and whatever eventually gets built in the former Turcot Yards.

He also thinks drivers would get a kick out of the art, which he'd like changed every generation to reflect new values. "It'd be just like an art gallery, you drive a bit and it's like you're walking into another room of the exhibit," says Marchand.