Brian Merrett
BornJuly 28, 1945
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
DiedSeptember 21, 2023(2023-09-21) (aged 78)
North Hatley, Quebec, Canada
Known forPhotography and architectural activism
Parent

Brian Jackson Merrett (July 28, 1945 – September 21, 2023) was a Canadian photographer and architectural activist known for his contributions to the preservation of Montreal's architectural heritage. Through his photographs and actions toward saving threatened buildings, he played an important role in the preservation of Montreal's historic structures, including the Shaughnessy House, which later became the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and the Windsor Station. He was one of the founding members of Heritage Montreal, a Canadian non-profit conservation organization.

Early life

Merrett was born on July 28, 1945, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. His father, John Campbell Merrett, was an architect and town planner whose work included the Art Deco–styled interior of the Central Station in Montreal. Merrett grew up in Senneville, a suburb of Montreal. He was introduced to photography at an early age, when he won a 35 mm camera in a contest when he was 12. By his late teens, he was processing and working with black-and-white film.[1] Speaking later of his architect father's role in shaping his interest for photography, Merrett would say, "His eyes shaped mine".[2]

Career and activism

Merrett started his career working as an architectural draftsman before moving over to photography in the 1960s. He started his photography career, training under Lennart Koraen, a commercial photographer. During this time he focused on urban architectural projects. Amongst some of his major works during this period was the 1969 commissioned photography of the restoration of the Bank of Montreal that he did for his father's architectural firm.[1][3]

During the 1970s, Montreal faced rampant destruction of its historic buildings. The city was coming off the Quiet Revolution and the October Crisis, both bringing along social and cultural upheaval. Brian Merrett became actively involved in various organizations aimed at preserving the city's architectural heritage from large-scale urban infrastructure projects. Some of his popular series from the time included Autoroute Ville-Marie (1969–1972) and In and Around Windsor Station (1972).[3][4] He played a crucial role in saving the Shaughnessy House, a historic building that once belonged to Canada's railway baron family, was at risk of demolition. His compelling photographs in 1973, of the building's interior convinced Phyllis Lambert, a prominent architect and advocate for architectural causes, to purchase the Shaughnessy mansion in 1974 and transform it into the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA).[1][5][6] Merrett also worked on campaigns to save other landmarks, including Windsor Station and the Van Horne Mansion. While the Van Horne Mansion was not preserved, it served as a galvanizing force bringing together multiple citizens' groups to preserve the city's heritage.[5][7] Merrett's work during this period documented threatened buildings and played a crucial role in their preservation. He served as an advocate for preserving older buildings and was a dedicated environmentalist.[8][3][9] Earlier in 1972, he had spent more than two months on a photography expedition through Europe with his then wife, Jennifer Harper. The photographs from the period were exhibited as Holiday Pictures of Europe/L’Europe en vacances (1972). The tour was intended to be a grand tour, however, his work stood out for bringing out the odds that modernization was at with urban preservation.[7] He continued to remain active into the 2020 working on an effort to drive awareness to save the 169-year-old Fulford Residence in Montreal from demolition in 2021. The building was later designated as a heritage site and subsequently preserved.[8][10]

Merrett captured photographs for many organizations including Westmount Action Committee, Heritage Montreal, and SOS Montreal. He was also one of the founding members of Heritage Montreal, a Canadian non-profit conservation organization, and its predecessor organization Save Montreal.[11][1][5] In his activism focused on urbanism and preservation of heritage buildings, Merrett was among a group of photographer activists that included Clara Gutsche, Melvin Charney, and David Miller.[3][12]

Through his career, Merrett published several books, collaborating with François Rémillard, that focused on Montreal's heritage architecture. He also served as the staff photographer at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts between 1983 and 2001.[3] His work served as a record of Montreal's transformation over the years.[8]

Personal life

Merrett married his first wife, Jennifer Harper, also a photographer, in the 1970s. The couple later divorced. Merrett later married his second wife Lucinda Lyman. He had two children, and Lyman had two children from an earlier marriage.[8] In his later years, Merrett spent his time in Montreal and North Hatley, Quebec, where he actively participated in local causes, including activism against a condo development.[8] He was also a member of the Strategic Planning Committee of North Hatley.[13]

Merrett died on September 21, 2023, at his home in North Hatley. He had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and had lost his ability to speak. He was 78.[8]

Published works

  • Rémillard, François; Merrett, Brian (1990). Montreal Architecture: A Guide to Styles and Buildings. Meridian Press. ISBN 978-0-929058-02-3.
  • Rémillard, François; Merrett, Brian (1987). Mansions of the Golden Square Mile, Montreal, 1850-1930. Meridian Press. ISBN 978-2-920417-25-0.
  • Brian Merrett: Photographs, Survey 1969-1992. Centre Saidye Bronfman. 1992.
  • Lanken, Dane; Merrett, Brian (1993). Montreal movie palaces: great theatres of the golden era, 1884 - 1938. Waterloo, Ontario: Penumbra Press. ISBN 978-0-921254-48-5.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Photographer Brian Merrett fought to preserve Montreal's architectural gems". The Globe and Mail. October 12, 2023. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Brian Merrett in conversation with Francesca Ammon, 2017 May 31". www.cca.qc.ca. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "National Gallery of Canada: Brian Merrett". National Gallery of Canada. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ Gyulai, Linda (September 9, 2023). "Recalling the wrecker's ball: A Q&A on the Van Horne mansion's legacy". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Gyulai, Linda (September 7, 2023). "When the Van Horne mansion fell 50 years ago, citizens stood up". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Nadeau, Jean-François (September 27, 2023). "Le photographe Brian Merrett, grand témoin du patrimoine architectural québécois, s'est éteint". Le Devoir (in French). Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  7. 1 2 variable, Ciel (November 15, 2022). "A Photographer's Holiday". Ciel variable Magazine. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gyulai, Linda (October 6, 2023). "Photographer Brian Merrett, quiet saviour of Montreal heritage, was an unsung hero". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Perrin, Eliot (June 1, 2023). ""Whose city is it?": Save Montreal and the Fight for Democratic City Planning". Urban History Review. 51 (1): 117–144. doi:10.3138/uhr-2021-0008. ISSN 0703-0428.
  10. ↑ Schwartz, Susan (November 28, 2021). "The fate of the Fulford: What next for the downtown landmark?". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Brian Merrett: The Presence of the Past". McCord Stewart Museum. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  12. ↑ Allaire, Serge. "Quebec's Documentary Tradition: What Tradition? What Documentary?" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ "North Hatley - Strategic Planning 2020 - 2030" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
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