Make Art Not War

On By ResaIn Alley Gallery, Black Lives Matter50 Comments

More art from Toronto’s Graffiti Alley’s artists’ peaceful protest.

The straw that broke the camel’s back.

I believe this black panther is by Nick Sweetman.

There is LOTS of writing in the alley. I couldn’t capture it all. Sometimes the lane was too, narrow. Also, there was a portrait of MLK JR. coming up & I was running out of battery.

James Baldwin – “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

Smaller bits from the alley.

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Pics taken by Resa – June 15, 2020

Toronto, Canada

Some of the artists:

I can’t breathe

Intermissions

On By ResaIn Alley Gallery, Faces104 Comments

I find this piece beyond interesting. I found it in an alley, twice.

The first time was on May 6, 2020. There were no leaves on the trees, it was sunny and the bare branches’ shadows made a veil on her face.

The next time was June 8, 2020. The leaves had grown in on the trees, and the sun was in a different position. The shadows made a lacy frame.

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Pics taken by Resa – May 6 & June 8, 2020

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

Paste-Up Power

On By ResaIn Paste-Ups, Street Art60 Comments

On my walk to Graffiti Alley, I spotted this beauteous paste-up in a window.

Pasted on the inside, you can see the glue around the edges.

I adore all of the rich details.

Lo and behold, there was the beauty, again, in Graffiti Alley. I had just finished shooting what I posted yesterday.

Again, pasted-up, this time on what seems a mud cloth pattern.

There’s more art along this wall, but I’m skipping to the end of the alley. I make a  right turn, into a scaffold tunnel. It’s mostly filled with writing, and there’s not enough space to back up and photo each piece.

In this narrow tunnel, I find the beauty, again. However, this time it’s a totally new version of the paste-up.

I squished in some angled shots, as there was no room to back up for a dead on.

The details are fantastic.

Pics taken by Resa – June 15, 2020

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

Artists Paint Graffiti Alley in Support – #Black Lives Matter

On By ResaIn Alley Gallery, Black Lives Matter49 Comments

 Someone painted George Floyd. Someone painted Jamal Francique. Someone painted Zianna Oliphant. Many painted “I can’t breathe”. I wanted to start this series with a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. In the end I decided  to reveal my experience from the beginning, as I discovered this multitude of art and messages.

I entered Graffiti Alley from the west end. I was greeted by a mural of Malcom X.

“You don’t have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being.”

After having basked in this fabulous mural for a long time, I head east into the alley.

“Breonna Taylor – Say Her Name”

This is Part One (There’s just way too, much for 1 post!)

Pics taken by Resa – June 15, 2020

Toronto,Canada

Malcolm X Artist:

Woman’s Face on Pop Art BG

On By ResaIn Alley Gallery, Faces72 Comments

Found this when I went to look for a different piece.

The piece I was looking for had been fouled with urine & the word pee written all over it.

As you can see, I was still rewarded for my efforts.

However, I had to work around a parked car.

I could not get a full straight on shot.

Still, worked the 2 spots I was given.

Pics taken by Resa – March 19, 2020

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

I didn’t get a shot of the name, but it is in the lower left of this shot:

MOGA

On By ResaIn Alley Gallery

Found this in Graffiti Alley, yesterday.

Make Outside Great Again = MOGA

Then on the way home I grabbed a shot of a bit of the tent city on my street. I saw a child about 4 years old in it, and a man in a wheel chair. Good News… there’s a second tent city across the street.

Pics taken by Resa – June 1, 2020

Toronto, Canada

The Artist:

Could be “The Half Decent” or maybe that’s a comment on the subject of the art by the artist?

Okay, closing comments here. I’m off to do a more pleasant post on Art Gowns, finish reading/escaping into a book by Shehanne Moore and drawing heroines!

Love and Peace to All!