Toronto Tribute Mural and Events

On September 9th 2017 we celebrated the life of Rob Stewart with a mural unveiling in Toronto, Canada. Below is a recap of the event.

The Mural

From September 1-8, 2017, a large-scale public tribute mural was painted by guest artists birdO and GETSO in the Yorkville area of Rob Stewart's hometown of Toronto, Canada. 

Inspired by elements of Rob's documentation of the underwater world, the mural will depict an elaborate portal showcasing the beauty and fragility of our oceans. A gateway to what lies beneath the waves, it will spotlight what is at stake due to human impacts such as climate change, overfishing, marine plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. 

Special thanks to our partners City of Toronto, StreetARToronto, Green P Parking, Lush Cosmetics, Opus Restaurant, Notion, Nuvango, and Love Letter Projects for the incredible support helping to make this project possible.

Notable Press

CBC News Canada - "Toronto unveiling mural to celebrate late conservationist, filmmaker Rob Stewart"

CP24 - "Mural will honour late Toronto filmmaker Rob Stewart"

Tribute - "Rob Stewart tribute mural to be unveiled Sept 9 in Toronto"

Inside Toronto - "New Yorkville mural honours Sharkwater filmmaker Rob Stewart"

The Artists

BIRDO

birdO is a Canadian muralist based in Toronto. While his surreal geometric animals can be found on canvas, in digital print, and installation, birdO is primarily known for his large scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world.

He utilizes the principals of graphic design in his painted works and treats his surfaces as editorial layouts which make his animals easily identifiable with their unique look and composition.

GETSO

GETSO is an interdisciplinary artist, graphic designer and creative/art director currently based in Toronto, Canada. 

Since the early aughts, GETSO has been creating work in both the public and private sphere - working as both an individual and with collaborators to create large scale graffiti productions, murals, street art interventions and commissioned paintings. 

GETSO has utilized the knowledge he's accumulated over the years to transcend various fields of art by using urban art influences inside the gallery space and retro patterns and symbolism outdoors to break free of traditional graffiti techniques.

The Team

Tre' packard

Tre’ is the Founder and Executive Director of PangeaSeed Foundation. He has travelled throughout Asia documenting some of most remote locations bringing to light never before documented fisheries contributing to the destruction of ocean ecosystems and the often illegal trade of threatened marine life. These experiences coupled with his interest in contemporary art led him to establish PangeaSeed in 2009 to cultivate a new era in marine conservation.

Dawn Laing

Dawn spent twenty years working as a scientist and conservation biologist before focusing her career on supporting artists in their community and entrepreneurial endeavors. She is a community activator, curator, and passionate conservationist.  Dawn holds an MSc from McGill University and an MBA from Ivey School of Business and spends her volunteer time supporting causes close to her heart.

lauren wood

An advocate for both sustainability and urban art, Lauren has produced projects spanning from urban farming initiatives in China to murals in Toronto and beyond. Lauren studied at Ryerson University in Toronto before moving to New York City to pursue a marketing career in the tech sector. In her spare time, she can be found hunting down murals to share with the world via her Instagram account Street Museums or gardening in her Bushwick apartment.

jodi callan

Jodi has passionately problem-solved for the Toronto Public Service since 2001, keenly focusing on launching new programs with a nimble touch. An inaugural member of the StreetARToronto team, she has worked collaboratively to lay the foundation for the program, establishing both policy and best practice for innovative partnerships while continuously seeking new ways to support and showcase Toronto's incredible street artist talent.

Thank you to our partners for their generous support!