Growing up in Vancouver, I never paid much attention to street art. Probably because there really wasn’t any. Or if there was, it was either quickly covered up by the city, or covered with so many layers of other graffiti you couldn’t decipher what the original art was. Moving to Toronto, it was definitely a change. Street art, murals, whatever you want to call them, are embraced. There are so many beautiful building walls in this city, ranging from painted landscapes to abstract graffiti. I just wish I could install a replica brick wall in my home – maybe a framed photograph will have to do. Here are my favourite Toronto sights:
Definitely my favourite so far – in Liberty Village, Toronto.
Queen West, Bloor & Bathurst, and Kensington Market – Toronto
Niagara & Bathurst and West Queen West – Toronto
Travelling to other cities in the area, they have their own style. Montreal has an almost art gallery vibe, with these walls featuring art that begs to be discussed. Note the size of the cars to give you an idea of the scale of these murals!
Montréal, Québec
Montréal, Québec
An alley alcove that was completely covered with this mural! Montréal, Québec
Montréal, Québec
Here are two more from a weekend trip to Detroit. I heard that the “CARE” mural was actually created for a Kid Rock music video backdrop.
Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI
Cities that embrace street art don’t end up covered from top to bottom like some communities may fear. The result is a beautiful mosaic of styles and moods across the vibrant neighbourhoods that residents are most passionate about. Artists gain respect and a name, and become a part of a city’s history overnight.
We, too, have blogged about street art on our round the world trip. We’re big fans! We especially liked the street art scene in Portugal. Bravo to the artists and the cities that support their work.
LikeLike
Loving these photos! Street art is a major part of the culture in Montreal. There’s an annual street art festival, with a dozens of artists painting pieces on walls, streets, and anything else they can make into a canvas. It’s the largest event of it’s kind in North America. They haven’t announced the 2015 program yet, but check out http://underpressure.ca/ if you’re interested. I’m always floored when I see kids as young as 10 at this event creating amazingly breathtaking art.
LikeLike