ARTWORXTO
Generally Speaking, a thoughtful and provocative public mural for ArtworxTO
As part of Toronto’s Year of Public Art, we placed a 120-foot ground mural on Bellair Street in the Yorkville district—known to be one of Canada's most exclusive shopping and entertainment districts.
The murals placement in the Yorkville neighbourhood acted as an intervention, confronting the districts own battle with classism and socio-economic status.
ART PROJECT
The area was selected with the understanding of its 19th century history rooted in social and political conversations, pop-culture, urbanism, and as the breeding ground for some of Canada’s most notable authors and musical talents.
“As the city begins its recovery on the tail end of a global pandemic and the urgency for social justice and reform, this project animates and transforms the Yorkville neighbourhood by injecting sentiments of joy and hope through a bold and colourful piece, that challenges the status quo. Asking pedestrians to ‘stop’ for a moment of consideration on how we can embark on a communal process of healing through art and intentional contemplation. With the continuous calls for justice against racial, cultural, and gender-based violence, discrimination, hate crimes, abuses of authority, and wrongful displacements across nations, we assert the notion of alliance, humanity, and togetherness—reinforcing the power and influence of love.”
—Ashley McKenzie-Barnes
Acknowledgments
Ashley McKenzie-Barnes
Curator
ArtworkxTO
Presented by
Yorkville Murals
Produced by
Jeff Blackburn, Ryan Helstern
Production Artists
DM Public
Public Relations
D.PE Agency
Event Programming
Press
HYPERALLERGIC
Published 5/6/21
Culture Type
Published 17/6/21
CBC
Published 5/6/21
Streets of Toronto
Published 1/6/21
She Does the City
Published 1/6/21
