The City is a Canvas

I spent the last 7 months biking around Toronto gathering stories from street art.

If you’ve been to Toronto, you likely know graffiti alley, but there are many more magnificent places to get your fill of street art in this city!

This year was not one to ignite the baker within me (unlike many talented people out there, I did not try my hand at making sourdough!) instead I explored the streets and alleys of Toronto with my bike, on what I describe as a map-free scavenger hunt. ISO: stories.

First, I discovered more artwork than I could have ever imagined. Second, I started to learn about the artists behind the spray cans.

The art across the city, while stunning and unique is here for a reason. I saw stories about equality, struggle, happiness, love, loss and so much more splashed across garage doors and buildings.

I gained an entirely new appreciation for Toronto and the people who live here. It also made me reminisce…

In 9th grade, I watched a documentary about the subculture of street art, and it really stuck with me. Once a story of vandalism and crime is now a beloved part of the world we live in. Street art is simply culture and is used to display more than just an artist’s tag, but their stories as well. In Toronto, we have various projects dedicated to nurturing this part of our culture, like StreetARToronto.

I personally feel much closer to the city I’ve spent the last decade in. 2020 is/was likely one of the toughest years that we, as a society have been through in a while. However, to find silver linings and avenues (or alleys) of beauty is one thing that this year provide me, personally, how about you?

We all know that art is subjective, but the art I experienced was rooted in connectivity. Next time you’re rushing around or hurrying to get from point A to point B I recommend looking up from your feet and embracing the stories on the street.