Archive for the ‘graffiti and street art’ Category

Love or Love

Posted: November 21, 2015 in graffiti and street art, locations, public art
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I drove the back streets to Yorkdale yesterday.  It’s not something that I normally do; in fact I can’t remember the last time I drove those streets.   But I’m glad I did because I found another mural painted on an underpass.  Four sections of concrete wall,  four words in bright colours – Love, Home, Limitless, Heights.

part of a mural on an underpass. There are four parts to the mural and each part is word painted in large capital letters in many colours - the word love, actually it is love or love

Home – just to the right of the word ‘home’ was a large heart that unfortunately I missed when I took the next photo.  There was also a sign describing the story behind the mural.

This community mural was painted by youth from the neighbourhood, Rocco Ursino, Salim Yislam, Michelle Collin, Jaden Beckford, Tamika Smart, and Hassan Mohamed under the mentorship of Sean Martindale and Joshua Barndt.  Apparently it was inspired by a popular local expression “Love or Love” and tries to convey compassion, hopefulness and determination.  Needed sentiments as this neighbourhood undergoes major changes and revitalization.

part of a mural on an underpass. There are four parts to the mural and each part is word painted in large capital letters in many colours - the word home

This 2012 project was produced by Art Starts in partnership with Toronto Community Housing and office of councillor Josh Colle. Funding was provided by StreetARToronto and TCH.

part of a mural on an underpass. There are four parts to the mural and each part is word painted in large capital letters in many colours - the word limitless

The mural is on Ranee Avenue as it passes under the Allen Expressway.  It is also right by the south entrance to Yorkdale subway station.

part of a mural on an underpass. There are four parts to the mural and each part is word painted in large capital letters in many colours - the word heights, with the south end of Yorkdale subway station in the picture

When I parked my car I saw this telephone pole – Shoot for the stars.  Great advice!

Telephone pole with the bottom metre and a half painted blue with some yellow stars and the words Shoot for the stars.

And because one thing  always leads to another, I was parked on Flemington Road beside this – the remains of Zachary Court.

A small street with some mature trees growing beside it. There are a few rowhouses but the windows and doors are all boarded up.

The street is fenced off and the houses are empty.  Some of the windows are missing but most are boarded up.  This must be the neighbourhood redevelopment referred to in the description of the mural, or at least part of it.

rowhouses boarded up and fenced off in preparation for demolition

An old sign for community notices that is now empty because the area is fenced off for demolition

The end house in a row house complex has been started to be demolished.

There was another telephone pole with a happy picture painted on it but looking a little worn.

A telephone pole that has been painted on the bottom few feet. A bright blue sky with a cloud and a few birds flying, green grass and a couple of yellow flowers standing tall

There are two development proposal signs posted on Ranee Avenue that pertain to this area.  One of them is for a seven unit, three storey townhouse development on Ranee Avenue itself.  The other is for the demolition and replacement of 233 social housing units as well as the construction of 824 market value units serviced by a new public street.  The latter development involves a number of streets besides Zachary Court on both sides of the Allen Expressway (Zachary Court backs onto the west side of the Allen).

 

along the south wall

Posted: November 16, 2015 in graffiti and street art, locations
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Back in the spring I posted pictures of the murals that were painted on the north side of the railway underpass on Bloor Street just east of Dundas Street. Since then, the walls on the south side have also been painted.  Both walls were Wallnoize projects.

part of a larger mural painted on the side of an underpass - looking along the wall
mural of an eagle with wings spread and talons out. A red rose at the top of the mural too. Painted by moveslow (@moveslow)
part of a larger mural painted on the side of an underpass - a water serpent, or an eel, with big teeth is after a smaller black fish

looking across the street at a mural painted on the side wall of an underpass. Bright, multicoloured, curved lines and shapes. The entrance to the west toronto railpath is also in the picture

part of a larger mural painted on the side of an underpass - a hand in black and white passing a can of pink spray paint to another, similar to Michaelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West as seen from across the street, a man is walking past

part of a larger mural painted on the side of an underpass - also painted on the sides of the stairwell that access the path that crosses over the bridge

part of a larger mural painted on the side of an underpass - an octopus painted beside some stairs, made to look like it's climbing down the stairs.

street art painting on an underpass wall. Large geometrics in dark red and blue, with a gold inverted pyramid shape

orange metal railway bridge over bloor street west, with the words West Toronto Railpath written on it in white lettes. A sidewalk runs under the bridge as well as the street. Along the side of the underpass there is a lot of street art

street art along the side of an underpass as seen from across the road. bridge is visible

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West

part of a larger painting on an underpass wall, eyes looking out, surrounded by many colours and shapes

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West as seen from across the street,

street art on an underpass wall by kizmet32, pink and purple on blue

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West

part of a large collection of street art paintings on a wall of a railway underpass on Bloor St. West as seen from across the street,

street art painting on a wall based around the letter t, lower case

wall of street art beside a sidewalk. Tall chain link fence above the wall and a brick school building behind the fence

a little teaser

Posted: November 10, 2015 in graffiti and street art, locations
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There’s a new mural being painted.  It’s not quite finished

looking down a sidewalk. A wall on the left has been painted with gold orange and brown pyramids, a lift is in the middle of the sidewalk, a busy street, Lawrence Ave, is to the right.

but it is looking impressive!

view of a mural that runs beside a sidewalk, taken from across the street

It is the work of Essenciartcollective, namely brunosmoky, shalakattack and fiyabruxa.

It started to rain quite heavily while I was there so I didn’t linger.
I’ll return soon – and by then it should be finished!  A few photos in the meantime:

part of a larger mural on an underpass in Toronto, on Lawrence West, two woman's faces in green, eyes closed, heads slightly uplifted. long green grass around them, some orange and blue plants that look like water lily pads seen from below.

part of a larger mural on an underpass in Toronto, on Lawrence West, a large owl in purples and reds with a yellow eyes. He dominated the picture. There is also a warthog and an elk (reindeer?) behind him
Parts of the mural are very apocalyptic

part of a larger mural on an underpass in Toronto, on Lawrence West, an apocalyptic view of Toronto with the CN Tower and downtown skyscrapers crumbling in a lifeless city

part of a larger mural on an underpass in Toronto, on Lawrence West, a close up of an old bearded man's face.

Pictures of the completed mural are now available!

udlaakut, good morning

Posted: November 6, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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There is a new collection of street art in Little India.  It can be found if you go behind the stores on the south side of Gerrard Street between Rhodes Avenue and Craven Road.  The art is easily seen because there is not only an alley behind the stores but also a parking lot.

back of a row of stores and restaurants viewed across an empty parking lot. The lower storey of the exterior walls are covered with street art and murals.

below: Udlaakut Alysia.  Udlaakut is Inuit for good morning.

A street art painting with the words udlaakut Alysia. Udlaakut is Inuit for good morning

The corner of a building with street art on it. Wispy people in blue

below: Above the stairs painted by timmydrift and below the stairs by thepasystem

The back of a store with street art on it. A metal staircase goes diagonally up across the building. Above the stairs is a multicoloured swirly piece while under the stairs the street art in is blue and purple A campfire burns yellow in the bottom left corner.

Detail of a flower from a largeer street art piece. It looks like a purple and red daisy

below: A marine creature (alligator) by Nick Sweetman and a woman’s face by Kairo.

An orange chair sits in front of a corner of a building that is covered with street art. There is a realistic woman's face by kairo and a creature by Nick Sweetman

below: The metal fittings on the back of the building were spray painted shiny gold and incorporated into the design of the mural.

Close up of part of a larger street art painting. The metal parts of the building have been spray painted shiny gold and incorporated into the mural.

Doorways covered with street art, something cutesy in pink and yellow, a furry head creature and a blue koala

below: behind 1465 Gerrard Street East

doorways behind 1465 Gerrard St. covered with street art, a white ghostly skull and a girl standing with her head back and arms upraised

below: Lean back!

A creature whose body is made of small circles and triangles, with skinny black arms and legs, wearing white shoes and white gloves

street art on the back of building. On the top is a starfish shape in blues. On the bottom is a grumpy little man with an oversized head done in teal colours. He is wearing an orange headband. GFC Cruz

The back of a few two storey shops where the bottom half is covered with street art and murals

below: behind Siddhartha vegetarian restaurant

garages and walls at the back of stores and restaurants covered with street art. Pink anf purple blob like creatures and an elephant

An elephant head and trunk street art painting by PUA (#PUA69) on a garage door.

below:  On the back of the Flying Pony cafe is this colourful mural painted by Tim Skynz, lead artist of the group Eskape Reality

Two murals, both brightly multicoloured featuring creatures, on walls in an alley

below: tropical paradise?!

street art mural of a blob creature in green with two faces, one with tongue sticking out and one with three eyes. It is beside a palm tree on a beach.

mural on a wall, with a window in the middle, many blob creatures with different number of eyes in blues, reds and purples, many with tongues sticking out, one giving a peace sign with white hand

below: Side of the Flying Pony cafe

the side of the Gallery Coffee Bakery with a red winged horse sign on the upper storey of the red brick bulding. The door and window frames of the shop are painted in primary colours.

Diagonally across the corner (of Gerrard and Rhodes) from the Flying Pony is another store that has been covered with street art recently.  This mural was painted by Runt.  1600 Gerrard East is the home of Lenswork, a photo and art studio gallery.

A store on the corner of Gerrard and Rhodes in Toronto where the front and side of the building are covered with multicoloured street art.

If you go back to Craven Road there are two murals.

the west part of the back of a building covered with street art. The street and another lower building with a mural on it is in the background.

First, there is the one by Monica on the Moon on a small building behind the Gujran Wala Tikka House restaurant.

A mural by Monica on the Moon on a dark blue or black background, a bright orange and blue flower on the right and a flower/face on the left. The words Gujran Wala Tikka house are written in the top right corner which is the name of the restaurant that this building is behind.

Beside it, on the side of the Gujran Wala Tikka House,  is a larger mural titled “The Rickshaw” by Monica Wickeler
(note: Monica Wickeler is Monica on the Moon)

mural in Little India of a decorated bicycle in front of a beige building with orange umbrellas on the left

below: And last, seen on a pole in the parking lot:

sticker on a grey metal pole. head with the words Blob Head written underneath. Purple hair, open mouth, pink lips, teeth showing, purple bushy eyebrows and three small eyes where each eye should be (six eyes in total)

 

The alley project was coordinated by Tammy Rogers
with assistance from Monica Wickeler and the Gerrard India Bazaar BIA.

imagine design create

Posted: November 4, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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As I sort through the photos that I took this past summer, I keep finding pictures of street art that I have not yet posted.  The following collection were taken in the Dupont and Ossington area back in July.

below: A very horizontal piece by Cool Ethan, obviously

a long horizontal street art painting

below: A TTC streetcar passes by the Massey Harris building, a mural by Colin Turner Bloom.  This office building, at 915 King St. West, was built in 1883 as the headquarters for the Massey Harris Co.  It was declared a heritage building in 1973.  Since then it has been developed as lofts/condos.

A mural on a garage door by colin makes art, showing a large brick building with a TTC streetcar passing in front of it.

below: A city scene mural by Monica on the moon,  just off Dupont Avenue.

long mural, black background, white line drawing of a city scene by Monica on the Moon

close up of part of mural, white line drawings of a city scene, lots of houses and other buildings, on a black background on the side of a house. Small window as well as three trash bins are in the picture.

below: Another garage door

garage door covered with a street art painting of squiggly shapes in oranges and reds with dark grey background

below:  Up, up and away with a bunch of red balloons.

two stencil graffitis on a white garage door in a lane. One is of a girl standing on her toes and holding onto a bunch of red balloons that are up in the air. The other stencil is of a man from the shoulders up

below: Bobby with a gas mask, stencil on garage door in a lane.

stencil graffiti in black on a white garage door. London bobby (policeman) wearing a gas mask, from the waist up

below:  Two lovebots on Dupont.

two lovebots on a blue metal structure on a brick wall. The top one is a gameboy lovebot. The bottom one is the usual robot lovebot.

sticker on a white wall. Sticker says ADORE: for all the golden moments captured indoors and out

air horns and others

Posted: November 1, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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behind Dupont, near Bartlett

below: This wall has been covered with graffiti for a number of years now.
photo taken July 2015

a wall covered with graffiti, a large bald man's head, a red and white elephant, a lovebot, a black line drawn bird saying I love air horns

below: The same wall in August 2012

a wall covered with graffiti, a large bald man's head, a red and white elephant, a man in purple, a black line drawn bird saying I love air horns

below: Close ups from this past summer

graffiti of a greenish man's face, closed eyes, laughing with mouth open, beside him is a greyish white elephant outlined in red with long tusks and trunk

a lovebot the robot wheatpaste on a door of a building that is covered with other graffiti and street art

below: Farther along the tracks.  Note the small bicycle on the rusted metal drum.
It too has been here for at least a couple of years.

A black and white tag on red background, with the words happy bday nektar written in the corner. In front of the wall is a rusted metal oil drum with some graffiti on it in white including a very meticulously drawn small white bicycle.

graffiti and tags on the back of a building made of concrete blocks, also on two metal storage tanks that are behind the same building.

walking down McCaul Street

Posted: October 21, 2015 in graffiti and street art, public art
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This post is the result of a search for street art while walking south of OCADU on McCaul Street past Grange Road and Stephanie Street on the way to Queen St West.

below: Part of a painting by Uber5000 on the ramp to Above Ground Art Supplies, OCADU on McCaul at Grange.

part of a mural by Uber5000 with birdie in paiter's beret holding a paint palette and painting a portrait of another bird who is posing on a table beside him.

below: On the SW corner of Grange and McCaul is this woman.  The building is 60 McCaul St., the Brinks Express Company of Canada building.

A picture of a woman in profile, with one knee raised, wearing a yellow and white striped top, picture on a wall. An older woman is walking on the sidewalk, approaching the camera.

below: On the south wall of the Brinks building is a mural.  It was painted in 2014 by Julia Dickens, Tara Dorey, Alexandra Mackenzie, Lido Pimienta, Peter Rahul and Diana Vander Meulen.
UPDATE: As of 4th Nov 2015 the lower right part of this mural has been tagged over unfortunately.

mural on the side of low building, beside w parking lot with one white car parked there.

below:  This building has a City of Toronto Development Proposal sign on it.  This sign says: “40-60 McCaul Street and 10 Stephanie Street.  An application has been filed to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 14 storey residential building with 184 units and a below grade parking garage as well as a 3 storey building proposed to a private art gallery.  Statutory Public Meeting:  Information will be posted once meeting is scheduled.”

corner of a red brick building with a mural on one side and a standard city of Toronto black and white development proposal sign on the other.

below: The next building south on McCaul Street is 52 McCaul.  Dasic Fernandez and Uber5000 contributed this street art to the northwest corner of the building.   It is across the parking lot from the mural pictured above.

street art piece of a woman's face with eyes closed and a vague shape of a heart behind her, done in purples and yellows, by Dasic Fernandez, on the side of brick building, with a pay machine for a parking lot in front of it. Just above her is an UBER5000 birdie with a ghetto blaster

yellowish brown brick wall with a wheatpaste of a girl with long hair and eyes closed. Above her is a paper lace doillie in a heart shape. Part of a grey metal door is also in the picture

below: On the back of 52 McCaul (west side) is:

street art on the back of brick building. A male face is above an old door and an arm on either side of the door.

close up a street art face on a wall

wheatpaste of a girl holdinging something, with poppies behind her, on a brick wall, with decorative metal grilles on either side of her

below: There is a large mural on the south side of 52 McCaul.  It was painted by Francisco Rodrigues da Silva, a Brazilian street artist who goes by the name Nunca, in 2009 as part of that year’s Manifesto Festival.

large mural on an exterior wall beside a parking lot. A man is swimming away from hands holding booze and dice and towards hands holding flowers. There are a few fish in the water with him. Painted by street artist Nunca on a bulding on McCaul Street in Toronto

close up of bottom left of a mural showing 7 hands of different shades of brown and beige. One is holding a pair of dice (two sixes), one is holding a green bottle, presumably with alcohol in it, the other fingers are pointing to the right, towards the main part of the mural.

street art mural, close up of part of it, showing a man swimming in wavy water, he has short black hair, a shiny round ear ring, and his tongue is sticking out. his arms are at his side.

two big round grey fish with open mouths and big yellow eyes, part of a larger mural

part of a mural by Nunca, four hands of differing shades of brown and beige are pointing or holding a large orange flower

below:  A few little things spotted along the way.

on a rusty metal pole beside a brick wall, close up of a flower in a flower pot line drawing in white on brown paper with the word moter in white above it with an arrow pointing to the flower

street signs covered with stickers and slaps in front of OCAD University

More info on the two large murals pictured above.

wildlife on St. Helens

Posted: October 19, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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A number of street artists have collaborated to paint an animal themed mural on a wall
that separates St. Helens Ave from a Value Village store and parking lot (near Bloor and Lansdowne).

street art painting by braesoner of a tiger poking its head out from behind a tag

street art mural on a wall beside a sidewalk, with leaves on the ground and two small trees in the picture as well

street art painting of a toucan with a colourful beak, sitting on large green leaves with a sunset in the background.

 

street art painting of a yellow spray paint can with a big happy face on it.

side view of a street art mural on a wall beside a sidewalk, the closest part of the mural is a picture of two giant beetles by Nick Sweetman with a painting of a spray paint can farther down the fence.

street art mural by Nick Sweetman of two large beetles and a pink flower, on a wall, St. Helens Ave in Toronto

street art painting of letters that spall fathom

street art mural by EGR of a lion beside a tree

street art painting on a wall by cruz1

street art painting of a brown monkey

street art painting by cbs

street art mural on a wall, by Nick Sweetman, of a snake head in blue, purple and green, with a long pink tongue and an orange eye

street art painting on a wall by spud1, #spud1

street art mural painting by EGR of a probably naked woman crouching in the long grass with a spear in her hand.

peace, love and a chevy van

Posted: October 17, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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“I said, get some sleep and dream of rock and roll.”

below:  War is not the answer, and Let it Be.

Front panel of a white chevy van that is covered with stickers, a pink hand giving a peace sign, daisies, anti-war stickers

below: A bit dirty and faded but still smiling.

old and faded and dirty yellow fabric flower with a happy face on it.

back windows of a chevy van covered with stickers

door panel of a chevy van covered with stickers, ganja, tinker bell, rolling stones tongue,

Drivers side of white chevy panel van, covered with stickers.

 

October edition

Posted: October 15, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Another month, another walk through Graffiti Alley.
As usual, there were some new things that I noticed and here is a sample. 

below: This big guy sits where Batman was just a few weeks ago.

Street art painting of a large rodent like creature sitting Brown, furry, little paws, small feature on face,

below:  Little town scene by Peru with a poser bunny beside.

Street art piece by Peru of the word Peru written in block letters but also used as the backbone of a city scene of stylized little houses with red roofs. The painting has a little truck in front of the houses with the word waistoid on it. Street art Poser bunny to the left.

below: The flu hating rapper

A character in a white lab coat and with spikey grey hair, street art painting. He's hold a microphone to his mouth. The words say Flu Hating Rapper

A street art painting of a man wearing a cap, he's painted standing between two windows with metal grilles over them.

below: Shanghai Toronto 2015

Bright red street art wavy and curly lines on blue and purple toned background.

below:  Lovebot is on the move

large wheatpaste lovebot on a wall that's been painted sky blue. 3D lovebot looks like he's running or jumping.

Street art, tag like painting in white with green and blue and black in the background. On a wall in an alley PHLS ATC

below: Stikman in green and grey

Stickman on a wall with green and grey spray paint on top of him and around him

The corner of a two storey building in Graffiti Alley, photo taken so that both sides of the building are visible. On one side is a group of poser bunnies in brown and white with red background on the lower flooor and a blck lovebot with red heart on the upper floor. On the other side of the corner is a Uber5000 bird above and something that's been tagged over on the bottom.

street art painting of a man with a fat cigar in his mouth, wearing a hat, carrying a briefcase, wearing a suit jacket and tie. Words written in cursive beside him say Love Smelling Daisies.

below:  Any idea what she might be holding in her hands?

Stencil graffiti, black paint on grey wall, of a seated woman holding something in her hands. At first I thought she was holding a camera close to her face but I'm not sure.

Narrow street art painting of a smoking gun sticking out of a hole in a wall.

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