Appreciating The Murals In St. James Town

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Over the past years, the murals and art in St. James Town kept expanding, making it easy to spot paintings and art everywhere.  But why should people care about the murals, and what makes them so important? 

St. James Town is a highly dense population with many significant murals surrounding the community, but not many residents acknowledge the amazing art in the neighborhood and how much color and livelihood it gives.

Community murals give light and positively to an urban neighborhood full of highrises and lacking in green spaces, like the St. James Town neighborhood. In St. James Town you can notice murals in different areas like around the schools as children pass by, the Wellesley buildings, the grocery stores, restaurants, and many more places. Just by observing the community closely you realize how much of an energetic and vibrant impact murals give off.

The murals in St. James Town serve as a visual representation of the connections and stories expressed and told in the community. They create a unique and creative outlook neighborhood for area residents and visitors to feel welcome and safe. 

One of the most significant murals that lay in St. JamesTown is the Phoenix that is placed on the wall of the 200 Wellesley Building.  The Phoenix is now the second tallest mural in the world but once known as the first. The mural was created after a horrific fire in 2010 where thousands of residents were forced to leave their apartments. The artist Sean  Martindale and many other youth decided on the idea of a Phoenix rising up from ashes and flying into the sky to symbolize the positivity in the community and not to focus on the negative side everyone thinks of. 

“ They wanted it to be something colourful that would be a symbol for their diverse and vibrant community to combat the negative ("dark", "grey", "dirty", "dangerous") stigma they felt was unfairly attached to the neighbourhood.”    - Sean Martindale

On the school yard of Rose Avenue Public School lays another important mural representing the community’s diversity and strong relationship. The illustrations depict a cow, a mosque, a Christmas tree expressing the diversity of religions in St. James Town, such as Islam, Hinduism, Christianity. The mural also shows the different ethnic people around the community along with their cultural clothing. The high-rise buildings in the background are representative of St. James Town as well as the images of families and friends enjoying their time playing in the park or flying a kite. The mural is a true representation of the St. James Town and 

many children who attend the school feel that the mural are a good portrayal of the community. 

Here’s what two students have to say.

“ I like the painting, I feel connected and it doesn't give me bad vibes” - Student.

“It was better when it was new, it’s nice to look at it while playing in the park” - Student. 

The murals in St. James Town, do a great job in representing the community’s highly diverse population, culture and religion. The murals serve as a visual storytelling medium for the neighborhood and its residents. It’s important to take a step back and acknowledge the art around the neighbour that gives colour and livelihood to the community!

 

Written by
Jabin Haque

Journalist
FOCUS Media Arts Centre



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