Street artist Jerry Rugg (birdO) has unveiled a 10-storey mural in Toronto.
Street artist Jerry Rugg (birdO) has unveiled a 10-storey mural in Toronto.
The pixelated design of the 483-m2 (5200-sf) mural—which starts on the second floor of 1 St. Clair E—continues the artist’s tradition of highlighting animals and mixing in playful pops of colour, while playing with perspective to trick the viewer’s eye.
Further, the towering image of a deer mixed with Rugg’s signature surrealist style, playfully references the surrounding Deer Park neighbourhood. The installation is part of a new series of commissions through the StreetARToronto (StART) Monumental Program and is the latest step in a larger revitalization effort at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue being spearheaded by Slate Asset Management.
“Working with (StART) and Slate has been a great experience, and I’m thrilled with the opportunity to leave my mark on a neighbourhood that means so much to me,” said Rugg.
This is the first project funded by StART’s initiative, which provides opportunities for creators to partner with property owners to create mural artworks throughout the city. As part of the program’s intensive mentorship experience requirement, Rugg engaged in a fulsome knowledge exchange with another artist ready to work at a larger scale throughout the process.
