Heritage

Heritage (or historic) painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than artistic style. Heritage paintings usually depict a moment in a narrative story, rather than a specific and static subject, as in a portrait.

  • Thunderbird

    Mural on a shipping container store by Philip Cote at Stackt Market, 2023. Mural is of a thunderbird in Woodland style, based on the indigenous story of the thunderbird who brought down rain, lightning and thunder.

  • Why can’t they see us?

    A community partnership project between Van Mural Fest, the Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies and artist Doaa Jamal, the mural is Arabic square Kufic script illustrating a verse from the Qur’an:
    “We have created you from male and female and we made you into tribes and nations that you may know each other” (49:13).
    The piece was made by community members who gathered to tape the stencil, paint, and share feedback. Jamal wanted to create a design that encapsulates the diversity of Muslims in Vancouver, and speaks to the burdens minorities and immigrants face when navigating cultural and identity differences.

  • Residential School Children Tribute

    Double sided planter mural as tribute to residential school children. Features a boy and girl in residential school uniform and cut hair. The school is in the backdrop but around the children are flowers and on the sides of the planter feature burning sage and sweet grass with a pine tree in the background, and medicine wheels beside it. Research and consultation was done to be culturally appropriate. By FPMONKEY, 2021

  • 365 Hargrave Mural

    This mural was unveiled on Aboriginal Day in 2005, and is located on the side of the Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada Building, also known as the New Hargrave Building or the Film Exchange Building. The mural itself is on a vinyl material, and it celebrates and represents the contribuions that Indigenous people have made in furthering the nation.

  • Berwick Centennial Mural

    The Berwick Centennial Mural is to commemorate the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Incorporation of Berwick as a Town on May 25th, 1923. The mural project was conceptualized and commissioned by the Berwick Mural Society, and this project was our second annual Call for Proposals concept. The mural planning began with the selection of an artist through a Call for Proposals in April of 2022. The winning design – created by Kristen De Palma, KDP Letters in partnership with Jake Seibert, Talking Wall Designs – was chosen through several stages of deliberation. Painting began on May 13th and was completed on May 21st, 2022.

  • Violet King

    “My design is based on the first Black woman lawyer in Canada, Violet King. I choose to depict her in my design not only due to her connection to Alberta, being born in Calgary October 18th 1929, but for her prevalence as a figure of Canadian History. Violet was an adamant purveyor of justice practicing criminal law in Calgary and later in the US. This mural will serve as a memorial and celebration of Kings life and legacy with a hope that more folks will learn about her story.”

  • SÔHKÂTISIWIN

    ᓲᐦᑳᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ, meaning “sôhkâtisiwin” or strength/power in Cree, and it depicts B-Girl and traditional fancy and hoop dancer, Angela Gladue. The mural is based on a photograph taken by Calgary photographer, Candice Ward.

  • Portrait of Funmilayo

    Located on the North-facing wall of the Garrick Theatre, this mural depicts a head portrait of a Nigerian woman named Funmilayo. The Head in Yoruba culture relates to presence, essence and destiny. She is compared to the European men that we would typically see on dollar bills, signifying that she would get the same amount of attention in the public. It is meant to be a shift, or complete opposition from the popular Western view of the African torso. Sponsored by: Signex Manufacturing, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Graffiti Art Programming, Synonym Art Consultation, Wall to Wall Mural Festival

  • “Daanook” Mural

    This mural was funded by Daanook restaurant, located in the Exchange District. The left panel reads “Being a refugee is part of the story, not the whole story,” and the right side “They left not because they wanted to.” Bistyek, a Syrian born artist from Afrin reflects on his own experience as refugee through this mural. The bright colours relate to his feelings and experiences of war as something vivid, yet painful.

  • Harbinger

    ‘Harbinger’ features a rider astride their mount, hurtling toward the viewer – and the future. Behind them, the path of time stretches out toward the horizon line, where the sun is perhaps
    setting, perhaps rising on a new day. The moon, in phases, hovers high in the sky. The rider passes beneath the arch of a tree grown into a circle, framing their flight, but also
    symbolic of passing through rings, crossing thresholds. We too, are constantly in the path of change, facing down challenges, old & constant injustices, global disasters as well as personal ones. Once we receive a message of portent, how can we step through to meet what’s next?

  • N/A

    “The design will represent a healthy, co-operative relationship between the Native culture and the community. In my artwork I use bold black lines and vibrant lively colors reminiscent of the woodland style of art. I use animals such as birds, bears, wolves, eagles, beavers, ravens and buffaloes to represent people or groups of people, and also to represent spiritual beings. I use circles to represent thoughts, ideas, statements, words, concepts, and principles. Whether you are driving or walking by the artwork, I am hoping that the art piece will aid in promoting a cooperative relationship and bring healing and unity to the community.”

  • Sky Dancers

    This mural celebrates multiculturalism within the art of dance. Starting from the left side, there are two large figures from the Chai Folk ensemble, which is a Jewish Folk dance group who practice in a space near this building. Next to these two is a male Chai Dancer, repeated in a stop motion-like fashion performing a dance move. This leads to an Indigenous hoop dancer in the very centre. On the right side, Caribbean folk dancers are depicted, following two Chinese Lion dancers. Along this vibrant, colourful scene are wave lines meant to represent different rhythms of music. The dancers ride along these lines as they move.

  • 605 Main Street Mural

    This mural depicts a park-like scene, with the recognizable Circle of Life Thunderbird Building in the distance on the far left. In the centre stands two teepees, with Indigenous people seen within and around them. An array of flowers flow to the right of this scene. The very right of the mural depicts a biker, riding down a forest bike trail. Sponsored by Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, and Take Pride Winnipeg!

  • Berwick Fruit Company LTD

    The Berwick Fruit Company Ltd mural is the first mural project organized by the Berwick Mural Society.The mural is an ongoing project that began in 2021, with new sections added annually.The objective of the mural is to highlight the significance of the Berwick Fruit Company Ltd in the establishment of Berwick as the Apple Capital of Nova Scotia. The first section was completed in September of 2021, which depicts an image of apple barrel transport in Berwick. The second section of the mural was completed in September of 2022, which shows a bustling scene of the Dominion Atlantic Railroad’s Berwick Station.

  • Bat Flip

    Paul Glyn-Williams’ ‘Bat Flip’ mural was commissioned by the Toronto Blue Jays (Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment) to celebrate the career and social impact José Bautista had on the city, marking his retirement.

  • Corso Italia Community Mural

    The Corso Italia Community Mural, located at 125 Preston Street, is the newest addition to the artistic landscape in Ottawa’s Little Italy. The mural was commissioned by the Preston Street BIA and funded in part by the City of Ottawa’s Mural and Architecture fund. Painted by local artist Ryan Smeeton, the Corso Italia Mural depicts some key elements of both local and broader Italian culture and heritage.

    The focal point is a beautiful tarantella dancer in traditional costume. Tarantella is a lively southern Italian folk dance, and the dress of course represents national pride. Beside the tarantella dancer is the Corso Italia Portal Archway which was built in 2011. This neon archway acts as an entrance to the neighbourhood and was both commissioned and paid for by the merchants of the Preston Street BIA.

    The yellow fiat, at the bottom of the mural is a reference to the Italian Car Club of Ottawa and the historical Italian Car Parade that has happened on Preston Street for the past 49 years.

  • Drift

    “According to Inuit oral tradition, kayaking was a way of life as well as a practical tool…for over 2,000 years. An individual’s mastery of the kayak measured personal growth and connection to the community. The kayak also provided the Inuit with a means of interacting with Arctic geography and ecology; kayaking was a way to explore landscapes, access natural resources, encounter animals and socialize with the Inuit of other communities.” (The Canadian Encyclopedia)

  • All Are My Relatives

    This mural connects with the specific setting at the Library, as well as the surrounding neighbourhood. The upper portion of the artwork, visible from the street, features a fire, row of corn, and an extraordinary night sky, a spectacular setting for the central characters including a storyteller and those gathered to listen by the fire. In the lower corners of the piece, there are animals that will draw visitors into the setting. The muskrat is key to the Indigenous Recreation story, as following the great flood, the semiaquatic rodent brought life back to earth from the depths through a morsel of sand. Viewers will note that the muskrat has a bandolier bag, which has always been a part of First Nations and Native American attire. There is also a mother bear and cub in the design. Similar to the muskrat, the mother bear is wearing a bandolier bag, symbolizing that all of creation has been given a set of original instructions and responsibilities that they have always maintained. The animals are situated in the space to remind human beings that we share the natural environment. This is emphasized by how the bear and cub are positioned on rock formations that visually extend the reading garden amphitheatre. All living things are in the same spot. The bear is traditionally considered a protector and maintains a very close relationship to the earth.

  • Ours to Tell

    A week spent with the art class of Royal Crown School inspiring some amazing students to create change, and inspire others. The three people are to represent the past (Harriet Tubman), the present (Obama) and the future (RCS Student’s), with a mirror in the center to show that it doesn’t take someone historic or famous to create change. Look in the mirror, YOU are the future of the black community!