Located on the retaining wall facing Centre Street outside City Hall, the city's newest piece of public art was installed last week (week of September 19). The mural features a stained-glass-like pattern that shows detailed glimpses of Oshawa and its main attractions within an evolving colour scheme.
Designed by Durham College graduate Allanah Larsen, this timeline of abstract art was produced by Allanah and her fellow students from the School of Media, Art and Design's Community Collaboration class, including: Alex Duffy, Stephanie Galanis, Shawn Robinson Gray, Maria McGarny, Vincent S. F. Neal, Kristen Sali, Schott Shepel, and Kristie Yuill.
"In addition to adding colour and brightening up our Civic Square this mural tells a story about our City", said Councillor Bob Chapman, Chair of the Community Services Committee. "Drop by during Doors Open Oshawa and have a look for yourself".
The mural is now a focal point in Civic Square and an integral piece of the space's revitalization. Its timely unveiling lends itself well to the celebration of Oshawa's culture, architecture and heritage at this weekend's Doors Open Oshawa and Culture Days events.
"This has been such a fabulous experience for the School", said Greg Murphy, Dean of the School of Media, Art and Design at Durham College. "We need partners to give us an opportunity to make a contribution to the cultural landscape of Oshawa, and the City has been a great partner. I'm grateful for the effort and expertise that a lot of generous people gave, but especially for the wonderful leadership of this project from Dani Crosby and Sean McQuay".
Community engagement was the cornerstone of this project, with the City and Durham College calling for direction at each phase:
- Phase 1 - Development, November 2015: The community inspired the artists in their proposed designs by providing their aspirations and creative direction for the final product.
- Phase 2 - Jury, February 2016: The community was promoted to judge and jury and collectively selected the winning submission.
In total, there were over 500 acts of engagement from the Oshawa community on this project.
