by artist Thelia Sanders Shelton
Artist Statement: My mom is from Spain and my dad from Germany and while we tended to be bandwagon sports enthusiasts, we paid particular attention to the World Cup games and all the events that came with it. In 2010 when Spain played and ultimately won, I happened to be exhibiting my work at The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. My brother brought down our one Spanish flag that we owned and we paraded it through the square. Later that evening we drove down the streets of Toronto with my mom sticking her body through the sunroof of the car waving a flag and rejoicing in the moment. Celebrating the win of her home country with her was wonderful and a real gift and the reason this project resonates with me.
For this project I incorporated the image of the bull and the bull fighter which, like my Mama, speaks to instinct and strength. And like that special night we celebrated Spain’s win, the bull is part of the distinctive myth that is emblematic of Spain. The game itself, the time that I spent celebrating with my Mama and my family will be forever mythologised in my brain.
Artist Bio: Thelia Sanders Shelton, a graduate of OCAD, is a muralist and multi-disciplinary artist with a focus in public art. Thelia participated in numerous exhibitions including The Toronto Outdoor Art Fair with her series,” Multiples” and her series “ It is however, her sculptures, The Toronto Driftwood Sign and El Corazon, which she co-created in 2016 that garnered widespread media attention, including the cover of Now Magazine and interviews on CBC Radio. These gateway projects into public art led her to paint her first big mural “Friends”.
Thelia’s been involved with Steps Initiative Program and co-created the Rainbow Lovesign which was also a community engagement project. Thelia co-created Nature’s Sandbox on Wards Beach Toronto Islands. Thelia’s StArt projects include Outside of the Box and the Cycle Track program. In addition, Thelia has also worked on a number of laneway projects including “Into the Forest“, and later,“Dogs at Play” and in 2022, KJBit Laneway Mural Project” with “The DJ”.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/shorelandarts/
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