As a professional photographer myself, and someone who loves to take photos of people and places, but also lives to capture moments in time, I’ve always been drawn to street photography more than polished studio setups. I’m a fly-on-the-wall type at heart who loves to shoot candid photos. I’d rather capture the exact second someone laughs, protests, falls in love, or simply walks with intention down a city sidewalk, than pose someone under perfect lights. That’s why I was immediately intrigued when I heard about the new exhibit at the McCord Stewart Museum called Pounding the Pavement: Montreal Street Photography.
The Duclos Affair and My Early Wake-Up Call
This exhibit brought back a powerful memory from when I first got into professional photography over twenty years ago. That was when I discovered the Duclos Affair. I could hardly believe it. A Quebec photographer, Gilbert Duclos, had taken a candid street photo of a woman and used it in his work. What followed was a legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. It became a landmark case about image rights and public space, and it changed the legal landscape for street photographers here. I had no idea back then that this kind of photo could trigger a court case. With today’s culture of social media and phones/cameras in every pocket, the questions around street photography and privacy are more relevant than ever. The McCord Museum even included a mural of newspaper coverage about the Duclos Affair and is hosting a round table on April 24 to explore its impact today.
Remarkable display showing the original controversial photo in the Duclos street photography privacy affair, and the newspaper coverage of the story and photo.
What the Exhibit Offers
Pounding the Pavement is a huge visual journey that spans from the 1800s to now. It includes over 400 photos organized into six themes:
- The Street as Spectacle
- The Built Experience
- Signs of Local Life
- Collective Identities
- Taking to the Streets
- Events and Incidents
These themes show how Montrealers have used their city streets through decades of change. It captures the beauty, grittiness, humour, diversity, and tension that come with everyday life in this unique city.
A Mix of Familiar and Forgotten Photographers
The exhibit blends work from established photographers like Bertrand Carrière, Clara Gutsche, Serge Clément, and Brian Merrett with lesser-known talents like Edith H. Mather, David W. Marvin, and Alan B. Stone. Some of these names might not ring a bell, but their photos are unforgettable. They each bring a personal, raw view of Montreal to life. This kind of variety adds depth and honesty to the overall story being told.
A Deeper Look at Montreal’s Hidden History
This exhibit is a wake-up call about the true history of the city. I happen to be someone who gets around Montreal a lot and enjoys seeing its many neighbourhoods and corners. But let’s focus for a moment on a place almost every visitor knows: Old Montreal. It is beautiful, historic, and endlessly photographed. But who actually built it? Do we really know?
Some of the images in this exhibit made me stop and think. You’ll see scenes with horse-drawn buggies in the foreground, yet behind them stand buildings with massive stone blocks stacked with surgical precision. There are towering Roman-style columns that look like they belong in Europe or ancient history books but early, simple cars parked near them. These weren’t just decorative touches. They raise real questions about how such structures were even constructed in their time. You can visit Old Montreal today and still see these buildings standing the test of time.
Were these buildings built from scratch by the people we’re told founded Montreal? Or were some of them already here in some form, discovered and repurposed? It’s a question that might sound far-fetched until you start to really look at the scale and craftsmanship in those old photographs. For anyone paying attention, the exhibit opens the door to deeper questions about the city’s past. A follow-up focused specifically on the architectural mysteries of Montreal would be absolutely fascinating.
The Language We Once Saw Everywhere
Something else that struck me while walking through the exhibit was how widespread the use of English was in so many of the older photographs. Storefronts, advertising, street signs. English was present everywhere, used naturally and without hesitation. Seeing it so freely displayed is a powerful reminder of how much has changed. Today, with strict language laws in place that try to regulate even a person’s natural ability to speak or work in the language they were raised with, it’s hard not to feel a sense of loss. These images quietly reflect a time when Montreal felt more open and fluid in terms of language. They also highlight how, over time, language policy has shifted from being a reflection of the unique local community to being a tool for control.
The Voices from the Street
An especially powerful part of the exhibit features a mural created by vendors from the street magazine L’Itinéraire. These are not career photographers. They are people who know the streets firsthand and have used photography to share what life looks like from their point of view. Their photos add something real and emotional to the exhibit that no textbook could ever deliver.
A Modern Reflection on Candid Photography
The exhibit also includes a 24-minute documentary featuring interviews with several photographers from the show. They talk about their process and what it means to capture real life in a time when almost everyone has a camera. Today, questions of ethics and consent are part of every shot. This exhibit doesn’t just celebrate street photography. It asks the hard questions too. I sat through the presentation and could identify which photographers I could relate to the most. If you’re into photography, I encourage you to do the same, as a self-reflective experience.
Pounding The Pavement: Montreal Street Photography is a must-see for anyone who loves the city.
Should you go?
Pounding The Pavement: Montreal Street Photography is a must-see for anyone who loves the city. This review couldn’t do it justice as there would be so much more to talk about.
If you’ve ever walked around Montreal with a camera in hand or just enjoyed candid photos of everyday life, this exhibit will speak to you. It’s more than just a gallery of images. It’s a portrait of a city in motion and a reflection of the photographers who’ve helped shape how we see it.
Pounding the Pavement: Montreal Street Photography runs until October 26, 2025 at the McCord Stewart Museum. If this review sounds good, it’s even better in person! Go see it. Take your time. And maybe bring your camera. You will probably walk out inspired and want to start taking more photos.
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