On 9 September 2017 the Montreal graffiti community lost one of its greatest writers, a “king” to use an expression from that world. The news of the death of the artist working under the aliases of Alex Scaner, Scaner or simply Scan, following a long battle with cancer, spread like wildfire.

In his mid-thirties, Scaner was one of Montreal’s first great graffiti artists. In the days following his death, hundreds of writers from Montreal and around the world as well as many street artists took to social media to pay homage and to express their respect for their brother, their chief, their king, the one who had been such a great influence on their own artistic development.

Scaner, alongside his brothers in the KG, DA and TFB crews (to name just a few), has helped shape the Montreal graffiti scene, give it its style and make it shine outside Montreal. Internationally known, he has worked alongside many of the greatest names of Canadian, American and European graffiti. He has also invited many of the best international writers to Montreal, thus creating networks for himself and his artistic family.

In just 20 years, this prolific artist has created hundreds, even thousands of burners, throws and tags. Given the ephemeral nature of the artform many are now gone but, thanks to the internet, they will live on and continue to influence the upcoming generations of graffiti artists. Only time and the elements will gradually chip away at what is left of his art in our streets, alleys, parks, offices, businesses and abandoned buildings, as the artist commands so much respect within the world of graffiti that no one would dare go over his work.

History will remember Scaner. When the negative taboos associated with the vandal origins of this artform drop and art historians study the artists who will have defined our era, Scaner will be remembered as the one who was taken too soon, but still left an immeasurable legacy.

The local and international artistic communities did not wait for Scaner’s passing to recognize his influence and express their love and respect. After the news broke out in the Spring of 2017 that the artist hadn’t much time left, his closest crewmates and friends got together and organized tribute productions (such as Scan You Rock). As well, hundreds of pieces created in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Barcelona, etc. have since been dedicated to him.

Following his departure tributes have been coming in even greater numbers. Scaner may be gone, but his star will go on shining brighter and brighter…

For more information on Scaner and for more photos of his work, check out his personal webpage as well as Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr.

Related posts:
Tributes to Scaner
Scan You Rock tribute wall
Scan You Rock production
Time Is Gold

Le 9 septembre 2017 la scène montréalaise du graffiti perdait un géant, un king, pour utiliser un terme du milieu. La nouvelle du décès de l’artiste connu sous les pseudonymes d’Alex Scaner, de Scaner ou Scan, suite à une longue bataille contre le cancer, s’est répandue comme une onde de choc.

Dans la mi-trentaine, l’artiste était un des premiers très grands noms du graffiti à Montréal. Les jours suivant son décès, des centaines de graffeurs montréalais et internationaux ainsi que plusieurs artistes du milieu du street art sont sortis dans les médias sociaux pour affirmer leur amour, leur respect et leur désarroi face à la perte de leur frère, de leur chef, de leur king, de celui qui avait été une de leurs plus grandes influences.

Scaner, aux côtés de ses frères dans les crews KG, DA ou TFB pour n’en nommer que quelques uns, a contribué à façonner la scène montréalaise du graffiti, à lui donner son style et la faire rayonner hors de Montréal. De notoriété internationale, il a exercé son art aux côtés des plus grands du monde du graff canadien, américain et européen. Il a aussi invité de nombreux graffeurs d’ailleurs à Montréal, établissant de ce fait de nombreux contacts et réseaux pour sa famille artistique.

En tout juste 20 ans, l’artiste prolifique a créé des centaines, voire des milliers de burners, de throws, de tags. Étant donnée la nature éphémère de cette forme d’art plusieurs de ces pièces sont maintenant disparues mais, grâce à l’internet, elles continueront d’influencer les générations de graffeurs à venir. Et il ne fait pas de doute que seul le temps et le climat auront raison de ce qui reste de sa main dans nos rues, ruelles, parcs, bureaux, commerces et édifices abandonnés, puisque l’artiste commande un tel respect que personne du milieu n’oserait repasser sur ses oeuvres.

L’histoire se rappellera de Scaner. Quand les préjugés négatifs dûs aux origines vandales de cette forme d’expression artistique tomberont et que les historiens d’art s’intéresseront aux artistes qui auront marqué notre époque, on se rappellera de Scaner comme celui qui est parti trop tôt mais qui a tout de même laissé un legs immense.

La communauté artistique locale et internationale n’a pas attendu son départ pour reconnaître son influence et lui exprimer son amour et son respect. Depuis que la nouvelle s’est répandue au printemps 2017 qu’il ne lui restait que très peu de temps, elle s’est mobilisée et a mis sur pieds quelques méga-productions (telles que Scan You Rock) en son honneur. De plus, des centaines de pièces créées par ses pairs à Montréal, Toronto, New York, Barcelone, etc., lui ont été dédiées.

Et depuis son départ ces hommages se sont multipliés. Scaner n’est plus, mais son étoile continuera de briller de plus en plus…

Pour plus d’information sur Scaner et pour voir plus de photos de son oeuvre, visitez sa page personnelle ainsi que ses pages Facebook, Instagram et Tumblr.

Articles connexes:
Hommages à Scaner
mur hommage Scan You Rock
production Scan You Rock
Time Is Gold

---

graffiti pieces

This was Scaner’s final piece. He left only an outline, it was filled in by his brothers in KG, Stare and Zek. Bear on the left is by Harry Bones. From Time Is Gold, Scaner’s last production.

In the Plateau.

This one was done during a block party in Mile End.

In Rosemont.

In upper Plateau.

In Hochelaga.

Scaner’s part in the Scan You Rock jam celebrating him.

In a central Montreal alley.

In upper Plateau.

In Wynwood, Miami.

In Hochelaga.

In upper Plateau.

Next to the legal graffiti tunnel on de Rouen.

Scaner (left) and Kemr (right) at the Cabot x Gilmore walls.

In Hochelaga.

Monk.e (left), Scaner (right letters) and Axe Lalime (right character) in Hochelaga.

In Rosemont.

Heating up Rosemont.

In a Hochelaga alley.

Rooftop burner in Petite-Patrie.

Well hidden in the Plateau.

Well hidden in the Plateau.

Well hidden in the Plateau.

In upper Plateau.

In Rosemont.

In the gym of an abandoned school.

In the gym of an abandoned school.

This piece dated 2014 was found in Wynwood, Miami.

In Hochelaga.

In NDG.

Scaner (bottom centre), Serak (top), Ether (middle letters), Axe (left characters), and Hsix (right character) contributing to the 2013 edition of the Under Pressure Festival.

Scaner (top 2) and Hsix (bottom) in a Hochelaga alley.

On an abandoned warehouse.

In a upper Hochelaga back alley.

In Town of Mount Royal.

At the 2015 Chromatic block party.

On Mont-Royal.

Above the LNDMRK offices.

In Ville-Marie. The cats are by Axe.

In Pointe St-Charles.

In Pointe St-Charles.

By train tracks.

Trackside.

Inside an abandoned building.

At the back of an industrial building.

Scaner on wheels.

Another truck side.

Another Scaner on truck. The back of the truck is by Bryan Beyung.

One more truck side.

K-Way promo for the 2016 edition of Mural Festival.

Opposite side of the above truck for K-Way at the 2016 edition of Mural Festival, doing the name of Dodo Osé (who did the back side of the truck).

En Masse‘s contribution to the 2013 edition of Mural Festival features Scaner (top letters) alongside Dan Buller (tennis player), Five Eight (central letters), Waxhead (head on the left), Beeforeo (below Five) and Nixon (bottom, top and far right). Photo © Infant Wisdom.

By train tracks.

Graffiti by Feka, Peur and Scaner, with a Lovebot wheatpaste at the top and hissing beasts by Axe.

Scaner (letters) and Axe (creatures) in Petite-Patrie.

Trackside piece in Petite-Patrie.

In a Hochelaga park.

Scaner (writing), Earth Crusher (central character) and Axe (end figures) in an abandoned industrial building.

In Griffintown.

On an abandoned warehouse.

Doing Hoacs‘ name at the PSC legal graffiti wall.

In an abandoned building.

In Mercier.

In a NDG/Côte des Neiges alley.

In a NDG/Côte des Neiges parking space.

In a NDG/Côte des Neiges alley.

In the Plateau.

Another one in the Plateau.

Above Shok in the Plateau.

In Centre-Sud.

Partially taken over by nature in TMR.

In Centre-Sud.

Cems, before he switched to Ether (top left), Scan (top right), Sage (bottom left) and Smak (bottom right) on this classic DA wall in Rosemont.

In Old Montreal.

This worn out piece off Clark was covered with something new in 2014.

Scaner in the middle of a wall by Astro and Zeus. The wheatpaste in the middle of all this is from Graffiti Knight.

Right half of a piece in NDG (sorry, left half is missing).

This piece in Rosemont-Petite-Patrie is dated 2004!

On roof edge visible from Papineau.

Another roof edge, this one on St-Laurent.

More rooftop, this one at the abandoned Transco.

More rooftop action at the abandoned Transco.

Next to train tracks in Mile-End. Also visible at the top is a paste-up by Turtle Caps.

In Petite-Patrie.

Under an expressway. Artist at the bottom is unidentified.

Pieces by Scaner and Sewk visible from train tracks in Rosemont.

In Hochelaga.

In Parc-Ex.

Under an overpass in Ville-Marie.

In a Plateau back alley.

On a St-Laurent mid-level roof.

In upper Plateau.

In an abandoned industrial building.

By train tracks.

This throw was found in Barcelona.

In Hochelaga.

In Hochelaga.

Rooftop throw.

In Mile End.