Local artist Dominique Boisvenue used spray paint for her mural near Somerset and Percy streets.
Chinatown has a new look thanks to a series of murals put up over the summer.
The Chinatown BIA collaborated with the Ottawa School of Arts to create the “Chinatown Blossoms” project, which consists of exterior paintings by 12 local artists at sites across the Centretown neighbourhood. The murals highlight the area’s Asian culture and brighten up otherwise empty doorways and windows.
Claudia Gutierrez, the Ottawa School of Art’s resource co-ordinator, says the BIA contacted her to discuss the program.
“We had a lot of unattended doors,” says BIA director Grace Xin. “They were ugly and frequently tagged by graffiti, so we wanted to update the whole street in an artistic way.”
The course was taught in May and June. In addition to brightening the area, it gave local artists firsthand business experience. The artists had to talk to potential clients, sign contracts and navigate the issues involved in creating public artworks.
“I'm used to creating work that is darker, a little more subversive, and that imagery isn't what this community wanted,” says artist Kim Edgar, who painted the door of Capital Book Store at 783 Somerset. “I learned to make compromises.” The community wanted symbols of happiness and luck, so Edgar painted colourful patterns and Chinese symbols.
Gutierrez’s mural was painted on Man Phat grocer at the corner of Somerset and Booth streets. It’s bright blue and infused with Asian flowers and geometric patterns.
“The murals reflect Asian culture with dragons and lotus flowers,” says Xin.
Other Asian animals can be seen around Chinatown, along with brightly painted skylines and landscapes.
As a result of the program’s success, more businesses have been asking for murals. Xin says there are 60 murals on 25 buildings. The BIA is now looking at doing a similar project in the future.
“It’s contagious,”says Domin-ique Boisvenue, whose first mural is on the front of The Daily Grind at 601 Somerset.
“One business sees the art and they want the same.Working together with business owners was a key part of making sure the murals were created.”
Xin says the project is part of a bigger drive to promote Chinatown’s culture.
“We want Chinatown to be a platform for young artists.”
The reaction from the community has been overwhelming, says Xin and Gutierrez.
“I had one woman say she felt safer in the neighbourhood now,” said Gutierrez.
“Doing murals is an interactive art,” says Boisvenue. “I had people come and ask questions, and kids would smile and watch me paint.”