La Centrale
My Friend Frankie runs community initiatives that nurture ideas and collective movements aligned with our mission and mandate. Each initiative is designed to create a meaningful impact, whether by directly engaging the community or addressing shared needs through creative, collaborative action.
My Friend Frankie x La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse
Every day, passers-by and employees of La Centrale's neighbouring businesses rest on this large yellow bench, aged by the years and adorned with graffiti. Located on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard, this unusual mascot has quickly become a place for meet-cutes, cigarette breaks or rest after a long walk. With the intention of thanking the bench's loyal occupants, La Centrale has teamed up with My Friend Frankie to give it a new lease of life and charm. We hope that a fresh coat of paint and an inspiring design can continue the long tradition of gathering and reflect the vibrant community that makes this neighbourhood so special.
We are so excited to share an update for our latest collaboration: the beautifully painted bench now installed at La Centrale, brought to life by the incredible artist Cedar Eve. This refreshed corner offers a renewed space for conversation, rest, and connection—right in the heart of a buzzing artistic community.
Cedar Eve is a multidisciplinary artist based between Montreal and Toronto. She is Anishinaabe (Ojibway), from Saugeen First Nation and Wikwemikong Unceded Territory, and was born and raised in Toronto. Her practice spans beadwork and large-scale murals, which she’s painted in places such as Peru, Arizona, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Alberta, and Winnipeg.
This marks our first collaboration with La Centrale, and we’re grateful to have co-organized and supported this project with them.
A big thank-you goes out to Brandon Dalmer for constructing the bench, Hemma Lagadec for varnishing, and MURAL Festival for bringing extra vibrancy to the space through their street animation.
We’re proud to support public art that invites pause, presence, and exchange. Here's to many moments shared on this new bench.
*Photo credits: Rosemarie Laporte (La Centrale Galerie Powerhouse)
