After an incredible past fews weeks, the new landmark mural under the Ontario Line bridge is now complete!
“River of Life” will also serve as key wayfinding piece for Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood
Titled “River of Life”, this new mural brings together land, water, animals, Indigenous knowledge, community identity and artistic expression. It connects Indigenous stories and artistic traditions with the contemporary Riverside community, reflecting a place where past, present and future meet.
On Monday, September 21st, the Riverside BIA invited the community to the inaugural celebration of “River of Life”. The celebration was attended by our friends from the City of Toronto, Metrolinx, East End Arts, Riverside residents, as well as MPP Peter Tabuns and Councillor Paula Fletcher.
The mural celebration was well attended by project partners and community members
Located on the south side of the Ontario Line Bridge underpass on Queen St E, the mural creates a strong visual identity for Riverside and serves as a recognizable neighbourhood landmark and future wayfinding feature for the Ontario Line station.
This mural was designed and installed by Quentin Commanda a.k.a. Que Rock, with contributions from guest mural artist Alex “Vizsla” Bacon and Sadie Marshall, and mentorship of Indigenous artist Shawni-Nodin Nanaokase.
Que Rock (right) and Sadie Marshall (left), lead artist and guest artist for “River of Life”, respectively
“Public art like this is important for the community because it gives visibility, especially for Indigenous artists. To me, it’s important that public art is supported by the city and the communities. These murals are not only a reflection of the communities, but also a reflection of the history of the land. For my culture, it’s important that we’re able to share and tell our stories on behalf of ourselves, rather than having someone else telling them for us,” says Que Rock, lead artist for the project.
These adorable preschoolers dropped by to check out “River of Life” and shared their favourite parts of the mural
The “River of Life” mural project was facilitated by the Riverside BIA, with funding support from the City of Toronto and FedDev Ontario through the Transit Construction Mitigation Fund, as well as support from Metrolinx.
Riverside BIA Executive Director Jennifer Lay started the mural celebration with her opening remarks. standing beside supporting artist Sadie
“Seeing the artist Quentin and his team create the River of Life mural together has been incredibly meaningful for the Riverside BIA and community. The art you now see celebrates Indigenous knowledge and contemporary Indigeneity while being a powerful new landmark at the site of the future Ontario Line station here in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood,” said Riverside BIA Executive Director Jennifer Lay.
Councillor Paula Fletcher talked about how big a milestone “River of Life” is for the Riverside community
To learn more about the “River of Life” mural, from conceptualization to installation, watch this video narrated by lead artist Que Rock himself.
Follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog regularly so you’re always updated on events and programming in the neighbourhood!
Photos by Riverside BIA