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Art is Our Life. ARTERY. 60' x 10'. Spadina and Dupont, Toronto. Aerosol Paint.

Press Release:

From now on, every time a TTC commuter exits Dupont Station at Spadina, they will be confronted with LEGAL graffiti art. In fact, the graffiti mural that stands in front of them the moment they exit the station poses the question quite blatantly – “(Is this) Art?” The design is the approach that a group of young, innovative visual artists from the Christie Ossington Neighborhood Centre and St. Alban’s Boys & Girls Club are hoping will change the way people discuss graffiti as art and promote the beauty of the legal art form.

The mural goes on to read “Art… Is Our Life” – a statement capturing the feeling of a painting that celebrates iconic artworks of human history, from the Sphinx to Totem Poles and Tom & Jerry cartoons. The statement also represents the attitude of this young collective of artists known as A.R.T.E.R.Y, which stands for Artists Remain True To Empower ouR Youth. 

ARTERY is a program that offers at-risk youth the opportunity to paint legal graffiti art and develop community-building and employability skills.  The youth are volunteers at the LOFT Youth Program inside the Christie Ossington Neighborhood Centre (CONC), a United Way member agency.  They work with their mentor artist to find ways to de-stigmatize graffiti art and discourage vandalism in the neighborhood.