MONTREAL – Guillaume Laporte grew up a diehard Habs fan.
Picture collectible hockey cards and figurines; you name it, and he probably owned it.
The artist’s fandom diminished somewhat as he made way for other interests but deep down, he still bleeds bleu-blanc-rouge. Proof? He thinks he might be a jinx to the team. According to Laporte, the Habs have lost every time he’s attended a game at the Bell Centre.
“I'm superstitious like a fan. I ended up believing that my presence made them lose,” he said, laughing.
But it seems like brighter days lie ahead for the man known as Zek in the artists community. His losing streak ended on October 28 when the Canadiens stunned the Winnipeg Jets in a 4-3 comeback win in a shootout.
Laporte was at the Bell Centre... just not as a fan in the stands.
He was busy completing a painting that portrayed a depiction of the matchup between the Habs and Jets as part of the team’s Artist Series presented by Loto-Québec.
New this season, the project gave fans a chance to watch a local artist create a one-of-a-kind painting in real-time inspired by the rivalry of the evening at the M2 Marché MTL Loto-Québec.
Over a dozen Saturday night home games, a talented roster of 12 artists put their unique spin on each of those intense rivalry matchups on the ice.
Laporte, who is a co-founder of the Projet Tyxna, a company that specializes in the production and digital design of murals, is known for his work in this field. He wanted the everyday fan to grasp the concept of his design easily while also letting his creativity shine through.
“I figured that I’d paint lines and try to create interesting shapes and incorporate the Canadiens and Jets logos from different eras,” he said. “I also wanted there to be a color, a theme for each team, so I created an authentic range of colors that connects the Canadiens and the Jets.”
While fans watched their beloved team skate on the ice, they were also treated to another performance off the ice with a unique view into each artist’s creative process as they worked to complete their paintings over the evening.
Hockey and art might seem worlds apart, but there are more similarities than meet the eye.
“At the end of the day, it’s a performance,” he explains. “Hockey players are performing on the ice, giving their all to get the win. But a visual artist in a performance will try to act in a way that’s interesting as well. They’re focused on that, too. The painting needs to be as interesting as the artist painting it. You need to hold the audience in suspense. [...] So the performance connects the two together. Visual arts are also broad in range. You can make pretty much anything you want, the way you want. So, the link can be made there, too.”
For fans interested in owning a unique piece of hockey paraphernalia, 11 of the 12 pieces, including Laporte’s, can be won via a contest on the Canadiens’ website until April 15.
While Laporte won’t be able to add this painting to the Habs memorabilia from his childhood, he leaves this experience with a tremendous sense of satisfaction and a memory that will last a lifetime.
“It was an honor, actually,” he said fondly. “When they approached me, I was like, ‘wow’. [...] I’m basically checking this off my list of accomplishments. That’s how I see it.”
