The Scarborough Sign is a community-developed public art installation that showcases and brings together Scarborough’s many artistic communities and neighbourhoods.
The life-sized SCARBOROUGH sign travels to neighbourhoods across Scarborough. At each stop, The Scarborough Sign displays community arts projects by local artists, collectives, and residents. The Sign also engages audiences in multi-disciplinary arts events, accessible workshops, and site-specific arts activities.
The sign was built and designed by McWood Studios, Marla Hlady, Victor Wong, Nabiha Haider & Lorena Salomé.
This year’s activation, as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021 – 2022, is made possible thanks to the support from the City of Toronto, Cultural Hotspot, the Ontario Arts Council, McWood Studios, and the University of Toronto Scarborough.
ARCHIVED PROJECTS
Curtia Wright is a multidisciplinary fine artist and mural artist based in Scarborough, Ontario. Her works delve into the spiritual and mental wellness of peoples of the African dysphoria, linking to mythology/folklore while disseminating what ‘fantasy’ means. Her work questions society’s indoctrinated beliefs of what femininity and blackness are in relation to gender.
About “Out for a Stroll,” the June - November 2021, Scarborough Sign Activation
This piece is inspired by my adolescence growing up in Scarborough. Everyone’s experience of Scarborough is different, for me I cherish the memories immersed outdoors in nature with my Family and Friends. This work showcases the vibrancy of Scarborough through colour and abstracted storytelling, highlighting my own memories and memories of folks who also call(ed) Scarborough home.
My fondest memories of Scarborough are those spent riding my bike with my brother and friends through Dean Park on warm summer afternoons, ending the day with a slushie from Mac's and a good movie from Blockbuster. Trips through Rouge Valley were my favourite, I remember beaming with excitement each time my Father took me on trips to catch tadpoles and skip rocks. Many memories of weekend afternoons spent following my parents to Scarborough Town Centre, each time, waiting in anticipation of witnessing the entrancing hot air balloon kinetic sculpture take off from the penny-filled water fountain.
I know that there are members of the Scarborough community who will relate to some of these special moments and I think that it's great that I have the opportunity to share these bits of nostalgia through this work. To me, Scarborough is home, a place of sweet memories, comfort and solace.
