On the walls: the art you need to see this week

Mural by TO’s Bruxas Crew, in town for Totem Urbain V2.0.

It’s pretty safe to say that this week the city’s going street-art crazy. While the inaugural MURAL fest gives the Main a makeover, the 14th edition of FIMA takes over the downtown core along Ste-Catherine for an open-air exhibition, Totem Urbain 2.0 sets up in Place Émilie Gamelin, MTL ZOO gets cozy in Divan Orange and Beauty of Tragedy brings high-end low-brow to the Maison de conseil des arts de Montréal.

Féstival International Montréal en Arts (FIMA) offers a variety of free activities this week. From June 12–16, catch numerous on-site painting parties in downtown parks, as well as the chance to cruise the BoulevArt, where a lengthy swathe of Ste-Catherine is shut down to traffic to host over 75 artists and designers exhibiting and selling their work. Ste-Catherine between Berri and Alexandre-de-Sève, daily 12–8 p.m., Sunday 12–6 p.m.

FIMA also presents Totem Urbain v2.0, bringing together six international street art collectives for a “POW WOW of urban design” decorating public art totems. Gaia, Trio Magnus, Bruxas Crew, En Masse and Cease will paint daily in Place Émilie Gamelin June 13–16, 12–8 p.m., with different DJs every day. The launch party on Thursday, June 13 features food trucks and jams by DJ Milton Clark. Place Émilie Gamelin, 12–2 p.m., free

In Parc d’Espoir, FIMA offers a paint battle in conjunction with Décover magazine, where Zoltan Veevaete and Etienne Chartrand battle it out live daily, then the park plays host to outdoor screenings of documentaries about artists including Keith Haring, Zilon and more. Parc d’Espoir (Ste-Catherine & Panet), painting June 13–16, 12–8 p.m., screenings June 13–15, 9–11 p.m., all free

Meanwhile, on the Main, the inaugural MURAL festival redecorates the Plateau with public art installations by an excellent international roster of artists, including Ricardo Cavolo, REKA ONE, Phlegm, Pixel Pancho, ROA and Escif, as well as hometown heroes Omen, Labrona, Jason Botkin and more. Check out our feature on the festival for more info. June 13-16, St-Laurent between Mont-Royal and Sherbrooke, free

The crazy week of street art, low-brow and graffiti rounds up on Sunday, June 16 with a day chock-full of art parties. In the afternoon, cruise the final results along the main as its new MURAL makeover is realized, or check out classic local pieces around the city, as artist  Cam Novak leads a street art bike tour of prominent pieces around the city. Leaves from LNDMRK (3527 St-Laurent), 2 p.m., $10/PWYC, BYOBike

In the early evening, MTL ZOO, a project that provides a platform for young street-art creators, holds a vernissage of new works by the next generation of 514’s underground artists, presented as part of the MURAL festival. Divan Orange (4234 St-Laurent), 7–9:30 p.m., free 

The whole week of outdoor art concludes indoors, at a huge party that both closes out the MURAL fest and the month-long Beauty of Tragedy exhibition, featuring beautiful art inspired by great tragedy. Curated by Alan Ganev, the evening marks the last chance to catch works by Omen, Labrona, Peter Ferguson, Jason Botkin, Scaner and Wia, as well as by Ganev himself.  Maison du conseil des arts de Montréal (1210 Sherbrooke E.), 8–10 p.m., free ■