New York City expat QBNYC is better known in Montreal as Turtle Caps, which is the name of his main creation. It is basically impossible to have walked the streets of this city and never to have noticed Turtle Caps (the creature), a very recognizable 2-legged turtle shell with a spraycan cap as a head. Even though the artist has now returned to New York, Turtle Caps the creature can still be found on stickers and wheatpastes, and spray-painted on many walls around the city.

The contribution of Turtle Caps (the artist) to the Montreal street art scene extends beyond his artistic work, as he has been instrumental in bringing artists from various spheres to work together in the context of events which he organised or curated. He put together the Cabane à sucre secret gallery which had almost 50 of the best Montreal artists – some street, some not – work side by side. He also curated the Montreal installment of the Boundless Brooklyn tour which brought together 20 graffiti writers and street artists from Montreal with 20 from New York City.

For more information, see turtlecaps.com as well as his Facebook page. For more photos of his art than is displayed here, check out his Instagram page.

L’artiste new-yorkais QBNYC est plutôt connu à Montréal sous le patronyme Turtle Caps, qui est en fait celui de sa plus populaire création, une carapace de tortue sur deux pattes, avec le cap d’une bombe aérosol en lieu de tête. Il est pratiquement impossible de n’avoir jamais remarqué Turtle Caps (la créature) dans les rues de Montréal. Bien que l’artiste soit retourné vivre à New York, Turtle Caps la création est toujours présente sur plusieurs stickers et collages, et peinte sur plusieurs murs.

L’impact de Turtle Caps (l’artiste) sur la scène montréalaise du street art s’étend au-delà de sa simple contribution artistique. Il a été impliqué à divers niveaux dans un certain nombre d’événements qui ont mené des artistes de sphères différentes à travailler ensemble. Il est celui qui a mis sur pied la gallerie secrète Cabane à sucre où la crème des artistes street de Montréal a travaillé côte à côte avec des artistes du circuit des galleries. Il a aussi été derrière le volet montréalais de la tournée Boundless Brooklyn qui a mené à une exposition réunissant 20 artistes montréalais avec 20 originaires de New York.

Pour plus d’information sur Turtle Caps, voir turtlecaps.com ainsi que sa page Facebook. Pour plus de photos que ce qui est présenté ici, voir sa page Instagram.

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Walls

Turtle Caps at work on his own contribution to the Cabane à sucre secret gallery (which he put together – click on link for full info). Finished work partially visible to his left is by Il Flatcha.

Turtle Caps and Futur Lasor Now on the side wall of a Plateau café.

Part of a big produciton in the Plateau which was actually also curated by Turtle Caps.

In the alley between St-Laurent and Clark. Above the door is a fat throwie by Sake and to the right another one by Peru143‘s Wastoids. Also visible are tags by Omen and others.

Same spot as above, after having been repaired.

See above. This is Turtle Caps’ seventh version of this door. Notice the new Waxhead piece on the left.

The eighth version of the above garage door.

Same spot as above, after a one-year break.

Contribution to the 2016 International Percussion Festival.

Turtle Caps surrounded by Open Mind aka Cam Novak (top left), Waxhead (bottom left) and Chris Dyer (right) on a St-Dominique house front.

Collaboration with M.Abstrakt in a Plateau back alley.

Waxhead (left), Ether (centre) and Turtle Caps (right) in a Plateau alley.

Free5 (left), Turtle Caps and Waxhead in the Plateau.

Futur Lasor Now (left), FEone (centre) and Turtle Caps (right) under Ville-Marie expressway.

In an abandoned building.

In the alley between St-Laurent and Clark, off Fairmount.

Turtle Caps (left) contribution to the 2013 edition of the Under Pressure Festival. Also visible are Asyne (top letters), Mark Esprit (bottom letters) and Mastrocola (partial, far right) plus an unidentified artist on doors and windows.

One of Turtle Caps’ three contributions to the 2014 edition of the Under Pressure Festival. This one is a collaboration with Mono Sourcil (centre) and Labrona (right).

One of Turtle Caps’ three contributions to the 2014 edition of the Under Pressure Festival. This one is a collaboration with Mono Sourcil and Labrona (both left) and Alex Produkt (right).

One of Turtle Caps’ three contributions to the 2014 edition of the Under Pressure Festival. This one is a collaboration with Mono Sourcil (centre) and Labrona (right).

Contribution to the 2015 edition of the Under Pressure Festival.

Board piece for the 2016 edition of Mural Festival.

Mural by En Masse featuring Dan Buller (woman in helmet), Cheryl Voisine (woman with hair), Turtle Caps (middle), Jeremy Shantz (top), Cryote (right) and of course Jason Botkin tying it all together, in a Vileray alley.

Turtle Caps (left) and Lily Luciole (pasted birds) in an abandoned church; photo © Lily Luciole.

At the abandoned Montreal Hippodrome.

At the abandoned Montreal Hippodrome.

A well-hidden Turtle Caps in the company of Deadliest Rosa.

This one was found downtown.

A quickie in a Mile End alley.

A quickie in a Mile End alley.

A quickie on an abandoned building.

2015 group ‘autoportrait’ by:
top row: Shalak from Clandestinos, Jason Botkin, Kevin Ledo, Chris Dyer, Bruno Smoky from Clandestinos
bottom row: Lovebot, Turtle Caps, Linsey Levendall, Marina Capdevila, Labrona, Waxhead, Dave Todaro.

Another group piece, this one featuring Waxhead (left and barely visible in bottom corner), Turtle Caps (above ladder), Futur Lasor Now (above door), Deadliest Rosa (middle bottom), Loks (right) and El Moot Moot (right wall). In the alley between St-Laurent and Clark.

QBNYC, not Turtle Caps. Left unfinished.

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Wheatpastes and larger paste-ups

The above pair was found in the alley between St-Laurent and Clark.

In a Plateau End alley.

In Mile End.

Underneath expressway, above a piece by Bosny.

In a Plateau alley.

Miss Me (left) and Turtle Caps (right).

A Turtle Caps wheatpaste over an older Turtle Caps throwie. Scroll up this gallery for the original piece.

This one was applied over an older “go green” paste-up also by Turtle Caps (which can be seen further down this list).

Turtle Grenade.

Paratroopas and Turtle Grenades. Collaboration with Futur Lasor Now (armed birds) in Chinatown.

More paratroopas.

More paratroopas. Also visible, a blue paste-up by Pnda and stickers by Loopkin (yellow) and unidentified (white).

Mad Turtle

The gladiator and the Medusa.

Note: the ‘BD!’ sticker is not by Turtle Caps.

A meeting with 52Hz (fish).

Wheatpaste in alley between St-Laurent and Clark.

Large paste-up version of the above.

Futur Lasor Now (left) and Turtle Caps (right)

Venom. Also visible to the right is a paste-up from 52Hz.

This poster was found in alley between St-Laurent and Clark.

Cheech wizard

Cheech wizard; slightly different to the one above.

Found in the alley between St-Denis and Drolet

52Hz (top) and Turtle Caps (bottom).

Large paste-up.

Larger wheatpaste version of the above, with Toronto’s Lovebot in the alley between St-Laurent and Clark.

Another one with Lovebot. Panda stencils bottom left are by an unidentified artist.

Large paste-up variation of the above.

Poster with one of Futur Lasor Now‘s lasorbirds.

QBNYC vs Turtle Caps, the two sides of the same artist in one pasted poster.

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Stickers and small paste-ups

2D sticker showing showing Turtle Caps’ experimentation in 3D.

Turtle Maul

Turtle Grenade

Collaboration with 69 aka 6ara9e.

Mad Turtle

A transparent sticker.

A paratroopa.

A paratroopa.

A paratroopa.

A paratroopa.

A paratroopa.

Turtle Mummy

Collaboration with Chris RWK aka Robots Will Kill.

Shared sticker with Waxhead.

Collaboration with Futur Lasor Now.

Venom

Venom

Collaboration with Free5.

Cheech wizard on Kone sticker

Hell Turtle

Medusa Turtle

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Other

Wallpaper in glass door; see close-ups of Turtle Caps pattern below.

Close-up of a wallpaper pattern.

Close-up of a wallpaper pattern.

Turtle Caps and Waxhead rooftop graffiti.

With Waxhead (top left) and Futur Lasor Now (top right).

Turtle Caps tag.