1087 Dundas St. W

by | Jan 31, 2023 | artwork

1087 Dundas St. W
Amália Rodrigues Centenary Project

This mural is one piece in a larger international project, honouring the life and legacy of Portuguese artist Amália Rodrigues- known as the ‘Rainha do Fado’ (Queen of Fado). Rodrigues was instrumental in popularizing fado worldwide and traveled internationally throughout her career.

The mural, located at 1087 Dundas St. West, was created by Montreal artist Matthew Cadoch in partnership with Little Portugal Toronto BIA. For those in the city’s west end, another mural has been created at the Portuguese Cultural Center of Mississauga at 53 Queen St N.

Herman Alves has spearheaded the larger project of installing twenty-five murals dedicated to Amália Rodrigues around the globe to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth.  A Montreal-based businessman, Alves describes himself as someone passionate for the arts looking to share Portuguese culture with the world, starting with the iconic fadista Amália Rodrigues. Alves said the latest mural, painted in Toronto’s Little Portugal, follows previous paintings in Porto-de-Mos, Portugal and Montreal.

Over her successful career, Amália was able to popularize the iconic Portuguese sound and bring it onto the international stage with performances in  France, the United States, Japan and the Soviet Union.

In a press release, Alvez said, “The name of Amália continues to be extolled with the same pride and patriotism with which the Portuguese flag is raised…..I want to share with the world our artistic talents scattered throughout the Diaspora, to give them opportunities to show what they are worth, especially in this period when so many doors were closed with the arrival of Covid-19.”

Thanks to the partners in the Little Portugal Toronto community that came together to make this happen- including IC Savings, LiUNA! and building landlord Frank Alvarez. 

Artwork Information
  • Title: Amália Rodrigues Centenary Project
  • Creation Date: 2021
  • Address: 1087 Dundas St. W
  • Artist: Matthew Cadoch

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Matthew Cadoch

The mural, located at 1087 Dundas St. West, was created by Montreal artist Matthew Cadoch in partnership with Little Portugal Toronto BIA. For those in the city’s west end, another mural has been created at the Portuguese Cultural Center of Mississauga at 53 Queen St N.

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

by | May 8, 2020 | events, News, portada, Uncategorized

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

By Robin Catalano. Full article available on greylockglass.com

During the height of the Spanish flu pandemic, afflicted Norwegian artist Edvard Munch painted a pair of self-portraits. In the first, he sits alone in a chair beside his rumpled bed, bundled in a robe, blankets covering his legs. His face is drained of color and his mouth hangs open, as if gasping for breath. In the second, painted after his recovery, he lists, seemingly exhausted, toward the viewer.

Though there is little besides Munch’s art that so viscerally records the 1918 pandemic, in its aftermath, the arts flourished, as they so often do following times of social and political upheaval—think the Renaissance after the black plague, or even the large body of political art that emerged following the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. It may be too early to gauge exactly what kind of art will emerge as the defining form of the post-COVID-19 period, but one media is staking its claim: street art.

Continue reading

More news and events:

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

During the height of the Spanish flu pandemic, afflicted Norwegian artist Edvard Munch painted a pair of self-portraits. In the first, he sits alone in a chair beside his rumpled bed, bundled in a robe, blankets covering his legs. His face is drained of color and his mouth hangs open, as if gasping for breath. In the second, painted after his recovery, he lists, seemingly exhausted, toward the viewer.

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

In the context of the current state of isolation, recommended by public health officials across the globe due to COVID19, a new initiative has been launched through an alliance between local Canadian arts and health advocates, to create an arts-based health promotion initiative in response to the high demand for mental health support for families to cope during this difficult period that we face.

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Malgré les distances qui séparent les Canadiens en ces temps de confinement, des initiatives pour les réunir virtuellement surgissent partout au pays. L’une d’entre elles est le projet de murale virtuelle numérique Create Hope | Créer l’espoir.

L’initiative consiste à compiler des interprétations visuelles du concept d’espoir. Elle s’adresse en premier lieu aux enfants qui, comme le reste du monde, sont en quarantaine pour une période indéterminée.

Le projet repose sur deux initiatives lancées par Rodrigo et Paola Ardiles Gamboa, frère et sœur, soit le Dundas West Public Museum de Toronto (géré principalement par l’ONG Creativo Arts) et la coopérative de promotion de la santé Bridge for Health basée à Vancouver. Le mot-clé avec lequel ils veulent faire résonner le projet au pays est #createhopemural.

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

by | Apr 6, 2020 | events, News, portada, Uncategorized

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

PRESS COMMUNICATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Vancouver / Toronto, April 2020

In the context of the current state of isolation, recommended by public health officials across the country due to COVID19, a new initiative is launching today through an alliance between local Canadian arts and health advocates. Bridge for Health (Vancouver), and the Dundas West Open Air Public Art Museum (Toronto). The two have come together to create an arts-based health promotion initiative in response to the high demand for mental health support for families to cope during this difficult period that humanity faces.

The “Create HOPE” digital mural initiative will collect the interpretations of hope from children and families across Canada. Interpretations that could vary from drawings, written literature and multimedia genres that are inspired by this invitation. The submissions will then be projected onto a digital collage that forms a mural to showcase the various expressions of HOPE, as an inspiration to all.

Partners of this initiative include “Alita X Design” Studios, named Top 5 Creatives in Canada 2009, that will be collaborating with the Museum designers and artists, along with the Health promoters across the country.

Due to the uncertainty of the isolation period, this “call out” for artworks and multimedia interpretations will not be limited to a certain date, an effort to accompany families through these uncertain periods. Beautiful artworks and social engagement, are the results that are expected from this invite. Hence, we would like to extend the invitation to entire communities without prejudice, to participate in this collective “Create HOPE” initiative.

Starting Monday April 6, 2020, we are asking communities to please post the illustration on social media using #CreateHopeMural and/or to submit artworks to: muralhope@gmail.com  

Social media link:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1334328643417544/ 

Image credit: Danilo Vergara @yo.soy.danilo
Mural Artist: Giovanni Zamora @giova.streetart
More events:
Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

During the height of the Spanish flu pandemic, afflicted Norwegian artist Edvard Munch painted a pair of self-portraits. In the first, he sits alone in a chair beside his rumpled bed, bundled in a robe, blankets covering his legs. His face is drained of color and his mouth hangs open, as if gasping for breath. In the second, painted after his recovery, he lists, seemingly exhausted, toward the viewer.

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

In the context of the current state of isolation, recommended by public health officials across the globe due to COVID19, a new initiative has been launched through an alliance between local Canadian arts and health advocates, to create an arts-based health promotion initiative in response to the high demand for mental health support for families to cope during this difficult period that we face.

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Malgré les distances qui séparent les Canadiens en ces temps de confinement, des initiatives pour les réunir virtuellement surgissent partout au pays. L’une d’entre elles est le projet de murale virtuelle numérique Create Hope | Créer l’espoir.

L’initiative consiste à compiler des interprétations visuelles du concept d’espoir. Elle s’adresse en premier lieu aux enfants qui, comme le reste du monde, sont en quarantaine pour une période indéterminée.

Le projet repose sur deux initiatives lancées par Rodrigo et Paola Ardiles Gamboa, frère et sœur, soit le Dundas West Public Museum de Toronto (géré principalement par l’ONG Creativo Arts) et la coopérative de promotion de la santé Bridge for Health basée à Vancouver. Le mot-clé avec lequel ils veulent faire résonner le projet au pays est #createhopemural.

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

by | Mar 22, 2020 | events, News, portada, Uncategorized

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Radio Canadas International

Malgré les distances qui séparent les Canadiens en ces temps de confinement, des initiatives pour les réunir virtuellement surgissent partout au pays. L’une d’entre elles est le projet de murale virtuelle numérique Create Hope | Créer l’espoir.

L’initiative consiste à compiler des interprétations visuelles du concept d’espoir. Elle s’adresse en premier lieu aux enfants qui, comme le reste du monde, sont en quarantaine pour une période indéterminée.

Le projet repose sur deux initiatives lancées par Rodrigo et Paola Ardiles Gamboa, frère et sœur, soit le Dundas West Public Museum de Toronto (géré principalement par l’ONG Creativo Arts) et la coopérative de promotion de la santé Bridge for Health basée à Vancouver. Le mot-clé avec lequel ils veulent faire résonner le projet au pays est #createhopemural.

Continue reading…

More events:
Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

Street art is having a moment. Is it a pivotal one?

During the height of the Spanish flu pandemic, afflicted Norwegian artist Edvard Munch painted a pair of self-portraits. In the first, he sits alone in a chair beside his rumpled bed, bundled in a robe, blankets covering his legs. His face is drained of color and his mouth hangs open, as if gasping for breath. In the second, painted after his recovery, he lists, seemingly exhausted, toward the viewer.

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

Create HOPE – Collective Mural Initiative

In the context of the current state of isolation, recommended by public health officials across the globe due to COVID19, a new initiative has been launched through an alliance between local Canadian arts and health advocates, to create an arts-based health promotion initiative in response to the high demand for mental health support for families to cope during this difficult period that we face.

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Créer l’espoir – une murale virtuelle pancanadienne se dessine à l’horizon

Malgré les distances qui séparent les Canadiens en ces temps de confinement, des initiatives pour les réunir virtuellement surgissent partout au pays. L’une d’entre elles est le projet de murale virtuelle numérique Create Hope | Créer l’espoir.

L’initiative consiste à compiler des interprétations visuelles du concept d’espoir. Elle s’adresse en premier lieu aux enfants qui, comme le reste du monde, sont en quarantaine pour une période indéterminée.

Le projet repose sur deux initiatives lancées par Rodrigo et Paola Ardiles Gamboa, frère et sœur, soit le Dundas West Public Museum de Toronto (géré principalement par l’ONG Creativo Arts) et la coopérative de promotion de la santé Bridge for Health basée à Vancouver. Le mot-clé avec lequel ils veulent faire résonner le projet au pays est #createhopemural.

1220 Dundas St. W

1220 Dundas St. W

by | Mar 3, 2020 | artwork

1220 Dundas St. W
Dollarama Mural
This mural represents the large community of Portuguese people and businesses that reside within the Little Portugal Area. It also represents a merging of the youth within the community, as graffiti art is considered a relatively new art form created by predominantly youth.
Artwork Information
  • Title: Dollorama Mural
  • Creation Date: 2017
  • Address: 1220 Dundas St. W
  • Artist: SADAR w/ BACON and POSER

ABOUT THE ARTIST

SADAR w/ BACON and POSER
Blaze “SADAR” Wiradharma is an OCADU Graduate with a BDES in Illustration. After living in Singapore for the last two years,  he has returned to Toronto to continue freelancing as a Mural / Graffiti Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer. In his early beginnings, his interest in visual communication was sparked by graffiti and street art. These forms influenced him heavily, his style reflecting the vibrant and often bold nature of urban art. This also encouraged the development of letters, calligraphy & characters which are a large part of his work.
Blaze takes inspiration from all facets of his own life experiences, and strives to create imagery which reflects lessons that he has learned along with social commentary. Utilising spray paint and exterior latex to create his exterior and interior work, he believes that large mural artwork in the public sphere has a responsibility to create questions in the viewers mind and encourage critical thinking.

This artwork is proudly hosted by Dollarama, 1220 Dundas St  West.

Hosts ensure a long life to the artworks by acting as their custodians. If you would like to know more about the Dundas West Open Air Museum hosts program then please contact us at hosts@dundaswest.museum