to dwell is to leave traces.

BMO Mirvish Village Branch

Permanent Public Mural, 2024

Commissioned by BMO in partnership with STEPS Public Art

While buildings rise and fall, while brick gives way to concrete, steel and glass; Walter Benjamin’s words “to dwell is to leave traces” applies more than ever as a reflection on the cultural and architectural legacy of Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village. It is through the collection of traces, the debris, the discarded remnants of the city, that we might find clues to, not only the past, but the possible futures that the past contained. Toronto reveals itself as a palimpsest: a collection of layers built up from half-forgotten stories, hand painted signs and ruins of Modernist high-rises and bay-and-gable houses.

This mural was created in partnership with STEPS Public Art, a charitable organization that creates one-of-a-kind public art plans, installations, and engagement strategies that transform urban areas into vibrant public spaces.

Commissioned by BMO Financial Group. BMO's Purpose is to Boldly Grow the Good in Business and Life. This artwork was created as part of BMO's Purpose and dedication towards building, investing, and supporting our communities.