Philip Surrey is a founding member of the Contemporary Art Society, a figurative painter, he was interested in the representation of the human figure. For much of his artistic career, Surrey used the city of Montreal as a backdrop. The painter organizes his composition in a meticulous manner.

Endowed with a great sense of concentration, Philip Surrey worked on each of his works with several drawings, sketches and small formats to finally arrive at a painting of imposing size.

He said he loved the poetry of the city. This painting by Philip Surrey draws its inspiration from the construction of the Décarie Expressway, located just a 10-minute walk from his residence. Representing the increase in automobile traffic in Montreal after the Second World War, the Décarie Expressway was a major infrastructure project intended to facilitate travel, notably during Expo 67.

The works demonstrate the artist's exploration of different lighting techniques, such as artificial and electric light, to create a distinctive atmosphere. This composition recalls an earlier work entitled “Highways”, already sold at the Cosner Gallery.