Nina Chanel Abney
Generally Speaking, a thoughtful and provocative public mural by Nina Chanel Abney for ArtworxTO
As part of Toronto’s Year of Public Art, we placed a 120-foot ground mural on Bellair Street in the Yorkville district—known to be one of Canada's most exclusive shopping and entertainment districts.
![NINA-CHANEL-ABNEY_Full-Media-1_1920x1080](https://images.ctfassets.net/0c4uhg9f4qrb/1X1zFtD0tC1CjmzIR6hAgg/285e18ab255432e63d18fae76808085d/NinaChanelAbney_1920x1080_1.jpg?q=80&fm=webp)
The murals placement in the Yorkville neighbourhood acted as an intervention, confronting the districts own battle with classism and socio-economic status.
ART PROJECT
The area was selected with the understanding of its 19th century history rooted in social and political conversations, pop-culture, urbanism, and as the breeding ground for some of Canada’s most notable authors and musical talents.
![NINA-CHANEL-ABNEY_Image-Copy-1_1920x1080](https://images.ctfassets.net/0c4uhg9f4qrb/4mQUtsIHn0mHS3TiOvWn7y/0667aed745dffe20c8ccdb040f099a28/NinaChanelAbney_1920x1080_5.jpg?q=80&fm=webp)
![NINA-CHANEL-ABNEY_Image-Grid-1-top_1920x1080](https://images.ctfassets.net/0c4uhg9f4qrb/6ETgc8V9Lh7XrrHK6cabo2/1bfd57a2ca67c117cb9b6f1c27722cda/NinaChanelAbney_1920x1080_4.jpg?q=80&fm=webp)
![NINA-CHANEL-ABNEY_Image-Grid-1-bottom_1920x1080](https://images.ctfassets.net/0c4uhg9f4qrb/2Vmaz8GMQ0L7GiqB9wdsYc/2a5cdd349f60127503bfefaed3790954/NinaChanelAbney_1920x1080_2.jpg?q=80&fm=webp)
“As the city begins its recovery on the tail end of a global pandemic and the urgency for social justice and reform, this project animates and transforms the Yorkville neighbourhood by injecting sentiments of joy and hope through a bold and colourful piece, that challenges the status quo. Asking pedestrians to ‘stop’ for a moment of consideration on how we can embark on a communal process of healing through art and intentional contemplation. With the continuous calls for justice against racial, cultural, and gender-based violence, discrimination, hate crimes, abuses of authority, and wrongful displacements across nations, we assert the notion of alliance, humanity, and togetherness—reinforcing the power and influence of love.”
—Ashley McKenzie-Barnes
Acknowledgments
Ashley McKenzie-Barnes
Curator
ArtworkxTO
Presented by
Yorkville Murals
Produced by
Jeff Blackburn, Ryan Helstern
Production Artists
DM Public
Public Relations
D.PE Agency
Event Programming
Press
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HYPERALLERGIC
Published 5/6/21
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Culture Type
Published 17/6/21
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CBC
Published 5/6/21
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Streets of Toronto
Published 1/6/21
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She Does the City
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