All That Is Golden
As part of the City of Toronto's Cultural Hotspot programming 2022, Scarborough Arts is pleased to present, "All That is Golden," a dedication to the Golden Mile in Scarborough! As the title indicates, this project plays on this concept: the Golden Mile - described as a barron, dull, big-box store, and industrial-focused area - does shine through the communities of people that make it a unique destination neighborhood in Toronto. Our project highlights the art and public art, cultures, foods, comforts, and services available in the region, and all necessary for the well-being of locals.
This year, we’re proud to introduce four artists to represent four wonderful local businesses in the Golden Mile area!
Destinie Adelakun
Destinie Adélakun is an award-winning contemporary Canadian multi-disciplinary artist. Her work extends from photography to film, paintings, and sculpture; which explore themes of pre-colonized African history, Yoruba mythology, religions, and spirituality. Through researching her Yoruba ancestry Destinie dissects the connections between the diasporic traditions and customs. In her work, Adélakun utilizes individuals as a personification of principles and ideas and re-illustrate African mythological tales. Destinie is the selected 2020 cohort of the Toronto Arts Foundation Artscape Launchpad bursary. The New York Foundation for the Arts awarded her the Canadian Women Artist Award for the arts in 2020. Being a community and mental health advocate, in 2021 Destinie co-founded the not-for-profit artist-led collective called Behind the Art (BTA). The initiative's aim is to celebrate Scarborough and East Toronto artists from the BIPOC diaspora and make mental wellness matter.
As an immigrant woman of colour, Destinie’s work is rooted in community and sharing the narratives of the Black Diaspora. She utilizes her art as a tool for narrating stories of her Yoruban ancestry and the commonality it shares with the diasporic communities.
Destinine: @destinieadelakun • Barans: @baransrestaurant
Check out Destinie Adélakun’s work at Barans Turkish Cuisine & Bar.
Camila Wong
Camila Wong is a Peruvian-born artist based in Toronto. She graduated from OCAD University in 2013, with a major in Drawing and Painting and a minor in Illustration at OCAD University. She produces work in various types of mediums, mainly murals and illustrations. She uses playful brushstrokes and expressive colours to create positive energy, harmony and unity. She hopes to bring a sense of strength, peace and well-being. Her main artistic influences are Latin American art and Vincent Van Gogh. Highlights of her works were her 3D sculpture ‘Weaving Painting’ that was displayed in an OCAD textbook in 2014; created private and public murals including a custom mural for Brasa Peruvian Restaurant; illustrated watercolours in Beatrix Potter’s style for a children’s book ‘Rodger Bear’; won a live painting competition; and her paintings were exhibited in solo and group exhibitions; and collaborated with other artists to produce their art projects.
Camila uses painting as a form of art therapy and sees it as a medium that is therapeutic and can help us to heal and express our feelings about the rights, the wrongs, and the comedy of our everyday lives.
Camila: @comilart • Chachi’s: @chachischai
Check out Camila Wong’s artwork at Chachi’s!
Myuri Srikugan
Myuri Srikugan is an up-and-coming Scarborough based interdisciplinary artist. Currently focusing on work revolving around video. Myuri has always admired how video can capture moments in time. She derives different art practices to create beautified moments of vulnerability. Through struggles faced within herself and among the communities she's witnessed growing up; Myuri finds herself on this constant adventure of self-discovery, while addressing issues within and around her, through art. As she develops her art forms, she finds new ways to express herself and use different mediums to amplify surrounding voices. • மயூரி ஸ்ரீகுகன் ஸ்காபரோவை தளமாகக் கொண்ட வளர்ந்து வரும் இடைநிலை கலைஞர். அவர் தற்போது வீடியோ எடுக்கும் வேலையில் கவனம் செலுத்தி வருகிறார். மயூரி எப்பொழுதும் எப்படி தருணங்களை படம் பிடிக்க முடியும் என இரசிப்பவர். அவர் வித்தியாசமாக பாதிப்பின் அழகிய தருணங்களை உருவாக்க கலை நடைமுறைகளைல் பயன்படுத்துகிறார். அவர் சமூகங்களின் மத்தியில் பல போராட்டங்களை முகம் கொடுத்து வளர்ந்து வருகையில், மயூரி தன்னையும் சுற்றியுள்ள புதிய மாற்றங்களையும் கண்டு, அவர் தனது கலை வடிவங்களை வளர்ந்துக் கொள்ளும் போது தன்னை வெளிப்படுத்த புதிய வழிகளைக் கண்டுபிடித்தார் மற்றும் சுற்றியுள்ள குரல்களைப் பெருக்க வெவ்வேறு ஊடகங்களைப் பயன்படுத்துகிறார்.
Myuri: @myuri.s • Vinushan’s: @vinushanbakery
Check out Myuri Srikugan’s artwork at Vinushan’s!
Sneha Ravichandran
Sneha (or Sun) is a Neurodivergent, Nonbinary, Queer Tamil Artist, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer from Sri Renga Narayana Puram, Tamil Nadu, India based in Tkaronto. They work in a variety of mediums including coloured pencil, gouache, watercolor, acrylic inks, acrylic paint, clay, henna, wool, and recycled materials. They also use Procreate to make stunning digital illustrations. Sun’s work is heavily influenced by their connection to the world and often has underlying spiritual, natural, and cultural themes. In addition to their personal work, Sun works as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator, creating websites, posters, logos, and other illustrations primarily to help small POC/LGBTQ+ businesses. They are a loving soul who is full of light, if you want to work with them, view their creations, or purchase some of their work, you can do so at lilsun.art.
Sneha: @lilsun.draws • Minerva Tiffins: @minerva_tiffins
Check out Sneha Ravichandran’s artwork at Minerva Tiffins!