YOU'VE CHANGED: A LOOK AT TORONTO'S STREET ART

Ghosts of Toronto's Past | Carys Owen 

_________________________________________________________________________________

These days it seems that everywhere you look there is a beloved Toronto landmark being torn down or a small business closure. While many millennials, such as myself, weep for the end of their favourite independent coffee shops, change is rampant in this city whether we like it or not.

Yet never fear my friends, change and modifications to the city of Toronto doesn’t necessarily mean it’s lost its “cool factor.” Street art, graffiti, and murals are alive and well in the city. These art forms have temporality embedded in their very nature. As an urban space, Toronto is home to many pieces of street art and like many citizens, I would consider it a part of our identity. In this sense, street art is reminiscent of the past and the future as it holds the city’s identity and embraces the future. Our beloved murals and graffiti have the potential to appease citizens who long for lost Toronto landmarks that provided a unique identity for the city and citizens who crave modernization.

Graffiti Alley. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen 

Due to the fact that street art is often illegal, secretive, taboo and temporary, its exact history in Toronto is hard to define. Street art that was once seen as a criminal act of property destruction, began to embody a new understanding in the 1980’s. With works by Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Blek le Rat and more, the craft began to be seen as a legitimate art form. At the same time, the Toronto City Council began to debate the street works that could become an eye-sore. Fast forward to 2011 when late mayor Rob Ford initiated his “war on street art.” He promised to remove graffiti from the city and passed a bill that would hold Toronto residents and government officials responsible for removing graffiti. Owners of private property were charged with removing graffiti on their own buildings, while the city was responsible for any works found on government buildings or property. 

Kensington Market. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen 

Currently, on the City of Toronto’s website, the Graffiti Management Plan still prohibits illegal graffiti and holds citizens and the city responsible for its removal. However, in recent years the city has embraced the idea of street art. The city acknowledges the difference between illegal and un-permitted acts of vandalism and legal works that are approved by a building’s owner. In fact, the city encourages building owners to commission murals on their property because there is a unwritten rule that forbids putting graffiti over someone else’s work, so commissioned works often prevent illegal vandalism. 

Tranzac Club. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen

If you are a property owner looking to commission a piece, you may receive help from StreetARToronto. StART is a program that started back in 2012 in order to enhance public spaces, promote local artists and reduce city maintenance costs. As part of the city’s Graffiti Management Plan, StART is a project with multiple programs that help bring art into public city spaces. Since this program’s inception, creators of street art and their works have been elevated to become respected within the Toronto art scene. Graffiti Alley was one of the first legalized graffiti zones in the city and is now one of the most popular places to see street art in Toronto. While opinions of street art will vary between ugly acts of vandalism or beautiful art that enhances the city’s character, the Toronto street art scene is thriving. 

Graffiti Alley. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen

Today many Toronto artists are going beyond the traditional gallery and creating works of street art that rival prominent city museums and exhibitions. Some of the best art that Toronto has to offer can be seen on the streets and is becoming a popular tourist attraction with no entrance fee. But unlike the works that hang on gallery walls, street art isn’t meant to last forever. Just as the city of Toronto is in a constant state of change, so are our favourite murals.

The notion of constant change echoed in the city and its street art is reflected in the “You’ve Changed” mural located in the Paul Garfinkel Parkette near Queen and Ossington. Way back when, this neighbourhood was named the Gallery District because it was filled with artists, but it was very run-down and unappealing to buyers. Eventually, the winds of change blew and the area was built into something new. Gentrification came in and forced many artists out with rising rent costs and developers buying property. Today, this neighbourhood is home to the mural that reads “You’ve Changed” by Jesse Harris. The piece is located next to several CAMH buildings and while it’s meant to convey an uplifting message for mental health patients, it also has a darker meaning. The mural represents the unsteady history of the neighbourhood and the changes made to several other Toronto neighbourhoods.

"You've Changed" by Jesse Harris. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen

The sentiment of Harris’ work rings true for all of Toronto: the city and its neighbourhoods have changed enormously. For some citizens these changes are ominous and strike fear into their hearts while other citizens see these changes as positive improvements to the city. Similarly to the city, street art is constantly changing and is categorized anywhere between positive contribution to the city to destructive works of vandalism. City murals and graffiti have been appearing since at least the 1980’s, but they embrace fluid presence without completely being eliminated. Street art is a unique contribution to the city’s character because it represents both the past and the future. While many city landmarks such as Honest Ed’s, Sam the Record Man, and Humber Cinemas are lost forever, Toronto’s street art tradition is here to stay with the works themselves changing constantly. No matter your view of the city or its street art, change is inevitable.

College Street at Augusta Ave. Photo courtesy of Carys Owen