Artist Statements and Bios
Angela Aujla
Artist Statement
In my proposed artwork, I celebrate Brampton’s identity as the Flower City of Canada, its flower industry heritage, and current commitment to ecological integrity and biodiversity. I also incorporate symbolic elements that reflect Indigenous teachings, and cultural diversity. I have entitled this artwork “Return to Nature”, a title that allows multiple interpretations: for example, a call to environmental protection, rejuvenating our minds and bodies by immersing ourselves in local parks and waterways, or the cultivation of natural spaces though one of Brampton’s many community and backyard gardens. The colourful patterns seen within the animals and flowers are carefully placed segments of phulkari embroidered cloth from my family collection that I photographed, then digitally inlaid into the artwork, adding a textural element to the piece. There are multiple symbolic meanings here including the idea of “the fabric of society”.
The medium I have chosen brings the mural to life with depth and dimension. The cut pieces of aluminum are 3D, raised from the wall, with illumination emanating from within, as well as halo lit/back lit with light bouncing onto the concrete wall for a soft, glowing effect on selected elements of the artwork.
Bio
My work spans various mediums including photo-based art, digital collage, illustration, textile, LED illuminated art, and animation. Alongside my practice as a professional visual artist, I am a college professor teaching Visual Culture and Cultural Anthropology, and a mother. My artwork explores the complexities and connections between history, memory, culture, and community.
Since 2019, I have successfully designed and executed 18 public art projects in Toronto, Vancouver, Surrey, Hamilton, Burlington, Barrie, Innisfil, Midland, and Oro-Medonte. I have also enjoyed illustrating for numerous books and magazines, especially those which are community based, the most recent being Stories of Us, a collection of poetry written by newcomers to Canada and used in ESL programs in Ontario. I have participated in group, duo, and solo exhibitions internationally, and locally – including The Path of the Warrior Saints exhibit earlier this year at the Peel Art Gallery and Museum, curated by Brampton’s own Rupi Kaur. I was also invited to participate in an art exhibit at Brampton City Hall that complemented David Suzuki’s 2019 visit for 905 Talks. My art commemorating Sikh Soldiers in WWI was shown at the Sikh Heritage Museum in Brampton in 2015. In 2015 I was cited by Kaur Life Magazine (2015) as one of the “15 Sikh Women Artists You Should Know” and in 2022, the Historica Canada animated short about the Komagata Maru Incident, a collaborative project with Bonfire Originals which I illustrated, was shortlisted for a prestigious Rockie Award at the Banff World Media Festival.
Dan Bergeron + Gabriel Specter
Artist Statement:
A Rose By Any Name is a mural that aims to celebrate Brampton for its rich history and cultural heritage by integrating patterns and imagery from textiles from around the world onto a series of climbing roses. The textile patterns represent the diverse cultures that Brampton is comprised of, while the roses represent Brampton’s agricultural history as the foremost cut flower cultivator in North America — hence The Rose Theatre’s name — and the massive growth the municipality has experienced over the past 50 years
As the mural will extend over two adjacent walls that meet around a corner, this unique opportunity will allow a creative artist team to create an anamorphic mural work. Anamorphosis happens when imagery on two different planes meet, creating a new image that can only be viewed from a specific location. By utilizing the anamorphic technique as part of our design we are proposing to create a work that will come to life, or appear to move, as the viewer walks around the site to view the mural from different vantage points.
We have chosen to acknowledge the sublime acoustics of The Rose by incorporating juxtaposing colours and patterning in the mural’s background that cause subtle visual vibrations when viewed. This technique will cause the work to appear to move or vibrate and will engage viewers and encourage them to walk around the site to view the mural from different angles.
Bio:
We (Dan Bergeron and Gabriel Specter) are self-taught public artists who employ a range of styles, themes and materials to explore the meanings of our shared public spaces. Our murals are site-specific, often utilizing community engagement strategies to create visually distinctive works that are responsive to their historical, social and environmental context. Growing out of this context, our artworks aim to open a dialogue with viewers, offering new modes of engagement and connection for the communities who will live with them, thus illuminating, enriching and building upon the meanings of the sites where we work.
Over the course of our careers we have realized numerous large-scale murals — design, project planning, community engagement, installation, mentorship, documentation — combining our unique perspective, creativity, technical skills and engagement strategies to deliver meaningful projects that meet or exceed the needs of our commissioners.
Jerry Rugg aka birdO
Artist Statement:
Focusing on the themes of diversity, inclusion and growth, we set out to create a design that will hopefully become a landmark image for the downtown area, and the community at large. Using images taken from various local gardens, we developed a flower arrangement that we feel represents this beautiful City of Flowers, and its perpetual growth. Mirroring Brampton and its countless green spaces and trails that offer so much diversity, our flower arrangement echoes that richness and variety. In Jerry’s signature style, geometric cubes have been added that contribute to the abundance of our installation. His design sensibilities add a dynamic element as the stylistic floral arrangements float in a unique way on the surface. Our feathered friend at the centre of our piece is a nondescript union of the many birds in the region that play a key role in the ecosystem and biodiversity. Its representation speaks to the beauty and verdure of the city, emphasizing the value the city has placed on protecting nature, while keeping it wholly accessible to its residents.
Our friendly little bird, nestled in his bouquet, is an inviting, playful and enchanting piece of art to display at The Rose. The story it tells is layered and impactful while being timeless.
Bio:
Jerry Rugg aka birdO is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. While his surreal geometric animals can be found on canvas, in digital print and installation, birdO is primarily known for his large-scale mural work on walls and buildings around the world. Jerry’s long passion for the arts, his storied experience working in film, and the skills acquired as an award-winning graphic designer, have all contributed to his approach, which focuses on an acute awareness of the surface and studious preparation with regard to local culture and surroundings.
With a list that includes both public and private sector clientele, we have had the privilege of producing artwork in a multitude of settings. Whether public housing, outdoor community basketball courts, French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, or any number of other people/organizations, the focus and approach is always the same. In our never-ending pursuit to brighten spaces and spur positive and meaningful dialogue, we aim to continually create unique installations for viewers to revel in.
Keerat Kaur
Artist Statement:
Brampton in Bloom is a multi-material painted mural and ceramic mosaic design that pays homage to Brampton’s moniker, “The Flower City,” referencing its vigorous history in flower exports while celebrating the diverse community that calls Brampton home.
The surrealist image depicts a group of people looking upon a larger-than-life book that bursts with flowers and animals unique to the region. The featured flowers are some of the city’s most popular historically grown varieties, and the represented wildlife is commonly found in the area.
The flowers spilling out of the book are akin to sound waves projecting from a speaker, alluding to the Rose Theatre’s role as a performing arts venue. The colour theme of the image—warm reds and yellows—reflect the warmth of the building’s red brick, while accents of blues, pinks and greens emphasize the natural surrounding. My use of the book symbolizes my belief in the power of education, literature and the arts, at large.
The textured brushstrokes will add subtle dimensionality and richness, drawing viewers into the image rather than presenting a flat, distant graphic. The mosaic component metaphorically represents Brampton as a “city in bloom”. This mural will feature a literal mosaic featuring blooms, enhancing the narrative of a flourishing, inclusive community.
Bio:
Brampton has provided a fertile ground for the exploration of my professional journey. In recent years, I have had the privilege of showcasing my work through performances and exhibitions within the city. These include participation in group exhibitions commemorating Sikh Heritage Month at PAMA, as well as a solo exhibition dedicated to my Panjabi language-learning book, hosted at the same venue. Furthermore, I had the honor of taking the stage of the Rose Theatre, the site of the proposed mural, where I delivered a vocal performance as the opening act for Rupi Kaur in April 2017.
My artistic portfolio traverses various mediums, from traditional painting to ceramic sculpture, illustration, writing, music, and architecture. The thematic thread uniting these expressions is a continual connection to tradition, coupled with a desire for evolution. My work, predominantly figurative, is steeped in symbolism, drawing inspiration from the rich artisanal crafts and metaphorical realms intrinsic to my Punjabi-Sikh heritage. Throughout my dual career as an artist and a licensed architect, I’ve explored diverse mediums and collaborated with a spectrum of professionals, including project managers, contractors, fabricators, material suppliers, installers, and clients from varied backgrounds.
One Day Creates
Artist Statement:
One Day Creates is inspired by Brampton's rich history and cultural heritage, often celebrated as a Mosaic and a City in Bloom, constantly growing and evolving. Our vibrant placemaking mural concept reflects this sentiment, drawing from local imagery and translating it into abstract, layered forms. This mural, to be installed on the southeast corner of The Rose Theatre, features a dynamic blend of flowers and mosaic patterns, symbolizing the city's diversity and continuous growth.
Our design is directly inspired by our walks around Brampton, where we captured local images and transformed them into colorful, abstract pieces. The linear shape overlays in our design are influenced by the area's notable linear structures of motion, such as the overpasses from Brampton GO and neighboring tracks. These elements give the viewer a sense of expansion and growth, mirroring Brampton's path and local architecture. Interwoven with these linear shapes are representations of local flowers and greenery, bringing a sense of softness and tenderness to the piece. Based on photos of locally sourced flowers, and paying homage to Brampton's moniker as The Flower City, we abstracted the shapes of petals, stems, and greenery. This approach ensures that viewers, whether passing by in traffic or on high-speed trains, can easily appreciate and understand the mural's design without it being overly complex.
Bio:
One Day Creates has extensive experience transforming public spaces into celebrated community landmarks through large-scale murals and artistic installations. With nearly a decade of experience, our team of world-renowned artists has successfully managed complex projects from conception to completion, showcasing our commitment to enhancing urban environments through art. We have collaborated with renowned brands such as Somersby, MLB, McDonald’s, Ubisoft, Lululemon, Adidas, and Converse. Our portfolio includes notable projects such as the Six Flags Mexico mural, the Canadian Nurses Association Mural Project at The Bond Hotel, and a 20,000 sq ft roller rink floor mural at Roller Pony, Mississauga. Our team is experienced and committed to including and amplifying local stories and voices. Through these experiences, we have learned to adapt, overcome, and problem-solve in all environments.
One Day Creates stands at the forefront of transforming urban landscapes through art. Our Toronto-based collective, established in 2016, has become a beacon of innovation in public murals, leaving indelible marks from the bustling streets of Canada to the rich cultural locales around the globe. With a foundation built on community engagement and a passion for shared spaces, we have a proven track record in handling large-scale projects that bridge the gap between public art and its audience.