ODE TO BELONGING

Mural Routes Member(s): Poonam Sharma

Artist(s): Poonam Sharma

Producer: Mural Routes

Category: Landscape

Completed: 2021

Lamenza Corporation, a social purpose real estate company based in Mississauga, and Mural Routes partnered to produce a mural at 4325 Harvester Road in Burlington in the summer of 2021.

The theme of the mural was imagining and building an equal, diverse and inclusive city.
This mural art project aimed to meaningfully engage community members through the various stages of the mural production. Local community members were invited to:
1- give input and feedback through an online survey,
2- participate in Introduction to Mural Art program,
3- provide feedback on proposed designs,
4- be part of the painting process!
A Call for Artists was circulated and, after jury process, Poonam Sharma was selected as the lead artist.

For this project, Lamenza Corporation aimed to foster the integration of local culture and commerce for community development by giving residents a unique reason to come through: the mural features a ground-level life-size butterfly in brilliant colour. Residents can engage with the mural, animating the area along Harvester Road and helping its small businesses flourish.

The unveiling took place on Thursday, September 23, 2021.

In Poonam’s words:
“My design is inspired by inputs from community members of Burlington and the rich history of Burlington’s farming & gardens. It’s a dynamic & vibrant Mural that signifies diversity. I have used Indian folk art motifs in contemporary fashion using colours, soft curves, and organic forms from nature. Whether driven by nutrition, aesthetics, or something else, people have long imbued flowers with personal and cultural significance. I have evolved my design with bright petals producing blooms of different shapes and colours. The Mural has colorful butterflies which also represent diverse community members and new immigrants who experience change and transformation, comfort, hope, and positivity. I believe this Mural to be a symbol of love & pride for our neighbourhood and our city Beautiful Burlington.”

Thank you to the children, youth, families and residents from communities in and around Burlington that participated in the painting process.

The Harvester Road Mural was sponsored by: