BY: Unknown LOCATION: Kensington Market PHOTO BY: Martin Reis FIELD NOTES: As we shift toward a greener future, people are coming up with increasingly resourceful ideas for creatively placed gardens. In Toronto alone, we’ve had some fantastic attempts to plant guerrilla gardens in otherwise unused spaces (here, here, and here, for example). It’s always nice [...]

BY: Jay Wall and Laura Huddart LOCATION: Harbord and Lippincott PHOTO BY: Martin Reis FIELD NOTES: Even at its best, February isn’t the most cheerful of months. It’s all too easy to let the winter blues get us down, but this creative redecoration of illegal ad space is just what we need to perk us [...]

Early in Yvette Farkas’ book, Toronto Graffiti; The Human Behind the Wall, pioneering graff writer Ren is quoted as saying that in 1981, the dearth of graff writers in the city caused him to temporarily abandon the art form. Ren says to Farkas, “No one else was doing it so I stopped for a while.” [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: Queen and Ossington PHOTO BY: Barb FIELD NOTES: If you notice this notice, you’ll notice it’s worth noticing (try saying that three times fast). Once a week, Vandalist features some of the most interesting street art and graffiti from around Toronto. Find something great? Email vandalist@torontoist.com.

The Young Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s little-known free section, was the site of the jam-packed, January 20 opening of NOW, a collaborative installation by Sean Martindale and Pascal Paquette—part of the AGO’s Toronto Now Series. Both artists are typically known for their street art—Martindale, for his urban interventions (such as pocket planters made [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: University and Dundas PHOTO BY: Martin Helmut Reis FIELD NOTES: We were never really sure why ducks got to play it cool while geese were volatile, tempestuous creatures forced to chase people around in circles, but it sure was fun. ‘Duck Duck Goose’ has been entertaining children for generations. Now, thanks to [...]

While reminiscing about his childhood, Pablo Picasso once recalled the encouraging words of his mother. Prior to his taking art up as a serious pursuit, she confidently told her son, if he became a soldier, he would rise to the rank of general; join the priesthood, and she was positive he would be ordained pope. [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: Bloor Street, between Royal York Road and Islington Avenue PHOTO BY: Mark Beauchamp FIELD NOTES: Kids these days, they’re spoiled with their “Twitter” and “sexting” and “instant messages.” Back in my day, if I wanted to send a sexy photo to someone on the other side of the world, I’d have to [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: Oakwood Collegiate, Oakwood Avenue just south of St. Clair West PHOTO BY: Mondo Lulu FIELD NOTES: Japan is a land of wonder and innovation. Some of our favorite products and characters have Japanese origins, like Nintendo and Astro Boy. Domo, the strange and delightful creature who inspired this week’s art, is the [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: Lippincott and Harbord PHOTO BY: Bella Manu FIELD NOTES: This ‘Acapulco Gold’ dollar bill was, perhaps, a statement about Canadians mining silver in Mexico (because AG is the symbol for silver). It was probably an important statement with some valid points that have been completely overshadowed by the boner. It’s no secret [...]

The romance of the rails may be a relic of the past, but graff writers continue to carry a torch for freight-train graffiti. Trackside throughout North America, a dangerous liaison is occurring between spray can and steel. For these writers, in place of walls and rooftops, the preferred canvases are the flanks of boxcars, hoppers, [...]

BY: Unknown LOCATION: The Gallery District’s graffiti alley PHOTO BY: Sally Hunter FIELD NOTES: Most street art, it would seem, is about making a strong visual impression. It’s nice to be reminded that other forms of creative expression can make just as significant an impact. This particular writer has left his or her thoughts on [...]