>>Elicser Elliott: What I try to do with these murals is like,
try to say something, so it sparks conversation.
But at the same time, through those conversations, we can do something.
Jessey Pacho (aka PHADE): Graffiti itself is something
that's typically frowned upon and viewed as illegal,
but graffiti it's an art form
does have a lot of power when used in a positive manner.
Bareket Kezwer: Murals are a way to ensure that there's
a larger diversity of voices that are present in our public streets.
One of the things that attracted me to mural painting was the way
that it allowed me to use my voice in the public realm and to start conversations
with people that I wouldn't normally cross paths with.
So, even in the process of painting this mural,
I had a chance to meet so many amazing people in the neighbourhood
and get to know a lot more of my neighbours.
And especially during a time when people are feeling so isolated,
having an opportunity to connect with people
around a message of positivity and gratitude
was one that was really nourishing and healing for me.
The idea for this piece was around
acknowledging what a critical role every single person is playing during this pandemic.
One of the big ideas that's been circulating is about the interconnection of everybody and
the way in which this pandemic has brought to light, that we aren't separate,
our actions aren't separate, and the, the world that we live in is one where everybody plays a critical role.
And that critical role might mean listening to
public health officials and following directions.
That critical role might mean calling your
grandparents every day to make sure they're okay.
Or that, that critical role might mean
going to your job at the grocery store every day,
or picking up garbage every day or being a doctor.
So, with the inclusion of so many different languages,
the idea was to try to reach as many individual people as possible
to help each of us connect with that important role that we need to be playing right now.
My name's Elicser Elliott I paint murals in the city.
Um, I'm a graffiti writer, um,
from way back in the day, but now I paint murals for a living like this one.
This mural that we're lookin' at right now,
it's, essential workers mural "The Heroes Project."
I try to first look at my core of my,
my people who are nurses and who are essential workers,
try to like understand it from their perspective.
My cousin's wife, Jody she's a social worker, she's a nurse,
so, it was kind of like understanding it through her eyes a bit.
So, I came up with a flip on the "Rosie the Riveter" piece.
So, I flipped that piece to be a "Rosie the Nurse",
um, who's actually strong and fighting "VID"
and, uh, keepin' it strong for our city, 'ya know?
People that helped me put it together
"Fathom", uh, right here and, uh, "Sight" on the right side.
Um, um, I just like set those up to be sort of, um, that's where the,
the toxic "VIDs" coming from.
So, it's kinda like it's letting off these, uh, like the force field is the "VID" colour, 'ya know?
So, it's kinda like pushing up, but they're fighting it.
Jessey Pacho (aka PHADE): What's up everyone?
My name is Jessey, aka PHADE, and I'm a graffiti artist.
So, directly behind me, we see, uh, "Front Line Heroes"
a mural my contribution to the "Front Line Heroes" call to artists.
Um, so this mural is celebrating front line heroes and essential service workers.
So, the lettering that we see says "Front Line Heroes",
done in a, uh, graffiti font we call it "handstyle" or "tagging."
Um, so it really looks like a marker tag was written on the wall.
The background is filled, listing the different
jobs and essential services and front liners that, um,
brave the storm of the pandemic to help the rest of society.
So, those are also done in, um, graffiti "hand styles" or "tags",
and they're just all different variations of,
um, these essential services and repetition.
Sort of as a big "thank you" for everyone
that really stepped up to help out during this pandemic.
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