October 21, 2014
An outdoor mural was unveiled today in Toronto's Ward 35 by StreetARToronto (StART), Mural Routes and the Canadian artist Omen.
The mural is located on the north and south sides of St. Clair Avenue East, just east of Warden Avenue, and is immediately visible as one exits Warden Subway Station.
The mural pays homage to Scarborough's historical roots. The north wall honours the significant contribution made by women working in the local ammunitions plant during the Second World War. The north wall showcases the local area's unique history and pays tribute to its past as Scarborough Junction.
Launched in 2012, StART, a program of Transportation Services's Public Realm Section, is an innovative, public-private partnership that strives to develop, support, promote and increase awareness of street art and its ability to beautify the city's visual landscape. StART’s Underpass Program provides opportunities for artists to create works of art that contribute to the program mandate, that make walking, cycling or driving through Toronto's underpasses more appealing, and that strengthen the sense of place, inclusion and belonging within communities.
Mural Routes is the only member-based, not-for-profit arts service organization in Canada that is dedicated to the creation, development and promotion of public wall art. Its vision is to inspire the creation of extraordinary public wall art that serves as a catalyst for community building.
Since the late 1990s, Omen has been blurring the boundaries between graffiti and street art with his singular style of painting, both on and off the streets. Using spray paint as his primary medium, he has been a leading force in having the aerosol movement recognized as an emerging art form that adds vibrancy and excitement to neighbourhoods.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contact: Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
