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Former Walmart becomes one of Canada’s largest murals

CTVnews.ca
June 28, 2021

A former Toronto Walmart is turning into one of Canada’s largest mural projects.

The retail giant recently closed the doors of their Edgeley Boulevard location in Vaughan, Ont. Instead of leaving the property vacant, an alliance of artists and real estate developers created an expansive series of murals.

In total, four works of art cover each side of the building, spanning 30,000 square feet.

“We’re converting a Walmart into a giant piece of art,” said Arman Afkhami, director of sales and strategy at LDNMRK, an art agency. For the next three years, the murals will become a fixture in the neighbourhood.

“I think the community is feeling our intention,” said Toronto-based artist, birdO. His work primarily captures birds and animals, which is why he painted a massive kingfisher bird with a long beak that wraps around the building.

The project’s artistic coordinator, Ricardo Cavalo, is based in Spain. He hasn’t been on site due to pandemic travel restrictions, but has managed to direct a team of four artists virtually from Barcelona.