A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ART

Local Artist Creates New Murals for City

The alleys and forgotten walls of the city have fresh paint on them, thanks to local artists like Shelby Gagnon. Gagnon spent her summer creating four new collaborative murals for the public, all in line with a holistic approach to art.

Gagnon is an Indigenous visual artist and has been continuously involved in community projects since graduating from Lakehead University’s visual arts program. Each mural is a combo of spray painting and hand painting, with themes of land, medicine, and healing appearing throughout each, as in her other works.

If you’ve ever stayed at the Haven Hostel downtown, you’ll love the new colours surrounding the sides of the building. Gagnon and fellow artist Lora Northway brought to life a mural that pays tribute to the Indigenous ancestors. A tan hide stretched across wooden posts, draped in berries, and a wolf howling at the moon stand next to a Finnish rug depicting scenes of colonial impact on Indigenous people and culture. With an almost surreal technique, and a powerful color palette, they’ve somehow created both a scene from a film and a storybook page on a wall.

St. Paul Street has quickly become a hotspot downtown, and passersby can now also enjoy a new piece of local art visible in Cooke Street’s alleyway. Gagnon created the piece along with nine other artists (including Northway) to represent community and solidarity. The design stands out against the black brick wall, focused on “the connection between ourselves and the ecosystem around us,” according to Gagnon. Again, the moon makes an appearance, flanked by fish, rabbits, and berries. The linework connects each element while still allowing room for each to present itself to the viewer.

Fitness fans at Rise Fitness studio have new inspiration on their walls, done by Gagnon and Northway as well. Different coloured flowers dripping in water, combined with bold lines, represent inclusion and the natural aspect to health and fitness, providing both motivation and calm for those using the space.

However, the most recent addition to Gagnon’s contribution to the city will be a new bus mural, done by Gagnon and six other local Indigenous artists. The bus will be unveiled in the coming months and is a culmination of all the concepts found in Gagnon’s work.

“We need to share our perspective and if that’s through art and murals then that’s how I’m going to add mine,” says the artist.

Gagnon is currently showing her newest finished work, Anemki wajiw, at Definitely Superior Art Gallery. Follow her on Instagram @rootveggii.