Stina Baudin, a Montreal‑based artist, will begin work on a night‑sky mural that will cover the roof of a 19th‑century barn in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. The project, scheduled for this weekend, is intended to draw public attention to the region’s largely forgotten Black history.
The barn, dating back to the 1800s, sits amid the rolling countryside of the Eastern Townships, an area that has long been home to a Black community whose historical contributions remain little known. By placing a celestial scene on the barn’s roof, Baudin hopes the artwork will serve as a visible reminder of that heritage.
Baudin’s choice of a night‑sky motif aligns with the intention to illuminate a past that has often been overlooked. The mural will be applied directly to the barn’s roof surface, creating a large‑scale image that can be seen from the surrounding landscape. The artist’s plan does not include additional installations or explanatory plaques; the visual impact of the night‑sky itself is meant to provoke curiosity about the area’s Black ancestry.
The Eastern Townships have a documented Black presence dating back to the early 19th century, yet many of its stories have not entered mainstream narratives. Local historians note that the community’s contributions to agriculture, trade, and cultural life have seldom been recorded in public commemorations. Baudin’s mural therefore represents an effort to address that gap through public art.
The project’s timing coincides with a broader movement in Quebec to recognize the diverse cultural layers that shape the province’s history. While the mural is a single artistic intervention, its placement on a historic structure underscores the connection between physical heritage and the intangible legacy of the Black residents who helped shape the region.
Baudin will work on the mural over the coming days, with the completed piece expected to remain on the barn’s roof for an extended period, offering a lasting visual tribute to an overlooked chapter of Eastern Townships history.