Tag Archives: okuda

Ecology and Equilibrium

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As you walk west on Carleton Street from Sherbourne, this is the view – Allan Gardens on the left and downtown Toronto straight ahead.  One of the dominant features of this view is the large mural; it was painted by Okuda (aka Okuda San Miguel) in 2018 and is called “Equilibrium”.

Carleton Street, looking west from Sherbourne, towards Homewood and Jarvis streets, tall buildings, including one with a mural on it,

A little bit farther west, and another mural comes into view.  As you get closer to Homewood, look right and look up.

north side of Carleton Street, looking west from Homewood, mural straight ahead, and mural on the right on 140 Carleton Street

northwest corner of Carleton and Homewood

A giant maple tree in autumn foliage now grows up the south wall of 140 Carleton Street.  This is a much newer mural, “Ecology of Us”.  Jarus painted this wonderful 22 storey tree this past month.

22 storeys high, mural, tree trunk, some branches and some autumn leaves

It is best viewed from Allan Gardens where the trees are also wearing their October finery these days.  In fact, the tree in the mural is based on one of the maple trees here in the park.

mural, with people sitting on a bench in the dog park at Allan Gardens, looking at mural,

view of Ecology of Us mural, by Jarus, from Allan Gardens, with two large trees blocking the view of the lower part of the mural

The “Ecology of Us” project is part of the StreetARToronto (StART) Monumental
Program.  This program funds large-scale, high-rise building murals across Toronto in collaboration with building owners (in this case, WJ Properties).   This is their second large mural in the city.

“Equilibrium” can also be seen from Allan Gardens.  It pokes its head up over the roof of one of the greenhouses.

view over the top of one of the greenhouses in Allan Gardens, mural Equilibrium, other tall buildings,

To see the whole of “Equilibrium”, you have to walk over to Jarvis Street because Grace Toronto Church, and other buildings, are in the way.

Grace Toronto church is in front of the Equilibrium mural and partially obscures it

Okuda was the lead artist; he was assisted by Adrian Hayles, Kayla Buium, and Stephanie Bellefleur.  It was funded largely by STEPS Public Art

Equilibrium, on the southwest corner of Jarvis and Carleton

woman pushing a stroller past the bottom part of mural, Equilibrium, by Okuda San Miguel

part of mural, Equilibrium, by Okuda San Miguel, naked woman in a bird mask

part of mural, Equilibrium,

Photos taken October 2026

on Congress St apartments

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On the left is a mural by Okuda (aka Okuda San Miguel) called “Cat Witch” (it is Salem after all!) showing a figure that is both human and feline. Her fur/skin/body is constructed using many multicoloured triangles which is Okuda’s signature style. It was painted in 2017.

below: Also from 2017, is a mural with a very long title, “Una mirada que embruja por la calles de Salem.” In English this is: “An enchanted look in the streets of Salem”. The artist was Belin (aka Miguel Ángel Belinchón) and it is painted in a style that he calls post-neocubism. A modern day Picasso so to speak.

large vertical mural by Belin, of a person, split face, post neo cubism,

close up of the face of the person in large vertical mural by Belin, split face, post neo cubism,

below: The last mural is also the most recent as it dates from 2023. On the right and partially hidden behind the tree, is an El Punto Community mural, “Generations” – “Generaciones” (follow the link for the full story behind the mural).

two murals on adjacent apartment buildings on congress street in salem massachusetts, one by belin and one designed by david fichter

It features events (e.g. a fire in 1914 that destroyed a church) as well as recognizable places and people in the community. It was designed by David Fichter.

el punto community mural designed by david fichter

The mural was painted on metal panels with the help of Xerxes Butt, Bianca Oppedisano and Joshua Winer, and then installed on the side of this building.

A shout out to Punto Urban Art Museum, the organization behind the murals in Salem.

Photos taken in July 2024

muros tabacalera

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Muros Tabalcalera refers to the murals on the concrete wall surrounding the Tabalcalera Urban Art Space in Madrid.  These are murals were painted in 2016 by 24 by different artists under the title Naturalezas Urbanas.

 

street scene in Madrid, murals on a high concrete wall, muros tabacalera,

below: A mural by Alice Pasquini, an Italian street artist.  The  street sign says Calle del Meson de Paredes,

a maural of a woman leaning out a window to pick something growing outside

Calle de Miguel Servet, concrete wall with murals on it, bench in front of it, tree with pink blossoms

below: Animalitoland, aka Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva, painted this little girl with her umbrella.

mural of a small girl huddled under an umbrella, grey tone city scape behind her, some small flowers on the ground

below: Circles of birds by Joao Lelo, a Brazilian artist

abstract tessalated birds

below: Clusters of green leaves by btoy

tree with pink spring blossoms in front a square mural, Madrid, muros tabacalera, leafy green plants with dark brown centers in the clusters

below: Upside down and all in red, by Lolo

square mural, Madrid, muros tabacalera, 2 people all red, on their heads, along with two potted plants, one red and one green

 

below: It’s a Jungle in here according to nuriatoll

lampost in front of square mural, Madrid, muros tabacalera, words that say It's a jungle in here, pale coloured leaves and birds behind the words

below: Two more murals.  On the left is a woman covered with flowers that was painted by Casassola while the more cartoon like characters on the right are the work of Nano 4814

two street art murals side by side, one is cartoonish and the other is a realistic woman surrounded by flowers (covering her)

below: A bird? Shapes and textures?  by Antonyo Marest

mural with small red sailboat, circles, squares, triangle

below: On the right, abstract artwork by Laguna

two murals, love wins by okuda and a piece by Laguna in pale turquoise and grey

below: Love wins by Okuda

large animal face (bear?) in bright multi coloured triangles, by okuda (okudart)

below: Figures all squeezed into the frame, painted by Digo Deigo

mural by Digo Diego of figures wrapped around each other, stylized, straight lines, blobs of colour, mural on a Madrid wall

below: painted by Koctel, an artist who seems to like painting fruit.  Here we see heads  made of watermelon and starfruit.

mural with fruit

below: Left to right: blue and brown tiles – Add Fuel (aka Diogo Machado); abstract shapes that look a bit like a head – Grip Face ; black and yellow – Deno

row of murals on a wall in Madrid

below:  A blue haired girl wrapped in the wings of a colourful bird, by Julieta XLF

mural of a girl with two birds

 

More information about the wall and the artists can be found on the Muros Tabacalera website

To find out where we’ve taken picture of street art, check our “Locations” page!