“We believe that culture is essential to the vitality of our region. Since the building’s construction started, we have wanted to incorporate a piece of art worthy of such an important project,” said Mr. Gosselin. Invitations and a call for proposals were sent out to a number of recognized Côte-Nord artists. Chantal Harvey was chosen by a selection committee made up of Alouette representatives and various other stakeholders to create a custom piece of artwork for the building.
The resulting work, titled À travers le hublot (through the porthole), is a circular wood engravingin an aluminum frame. At close to two and a half metres wide, the engraving is majestic and hard to miss in its very fitting location. It overlooks the largest common space in the atrium of the Alouette University Building, depicting the waves of the St. Lawrence River with the northern coastline covered in black spruce behind.
Chantal Harvey’s work has been featured in a number of architectural projects across the province. She has also participated in many exhibitions in Canada and abroad. A highly skilled engraver, she has won numerous prizes over the years.
The Alouette University Building, home to the wood engraving, was inaugurated last fall. It is the product of a $10-million investment made by Aluminerie Alouette and a business partnership between Cégep de Sept-Îles and Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.
