Downtown Yonge Artwalk

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History of Music Mural: South

  • Spray Painting
  • 2017
  • 423 Yonge Street, Toronto

About the artwork

This is a major endeavour for Downtown Yonge BIA to pay homage to the rich history of music on Yonge Street. This reiterates our music strategy and DYBIA’s commitment to arts & culture as an economic driver.

Designed by Hayles (aka DJ Sawtay), the mural on the Toronto Community Housing building features the likenesses of Rush, Goddo, the Band, David Clayton Thomas, Lonnie Johnson, Salome Bey, Carole Pope, Cathy Young, Jay Douglas, Kim Mitchell, Mandala, and John and Lee and the Checkmates. Commissioned by the Downtown Yonge BIA, it’ll also include historic bygone music spaces like Gasworks, A&A Records, Piccadilly Tube, Steele Tavern and the Brown Derby Tavern.

“This mural ties into the importance of Yonge Street and all the artists and venues that have played this iconic street,” Downtown Yonge BIA executive director Mark Garner tells NOW. “Yonge Street contributed significantly to the Canadian music scene, but also to the North American scene.”

Hayles also painted the mural on the building’s north side. Completed in 2017, it includes the images of Ronnie Hawkins, Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, Jackie Shane, Shirley Matthews and Gordon Lightfoot, among others, as well as venues Le Coq d’Or and Massey Hall, and the Sam the Record Man sign.

About the artist

At the tender age of nine, Toronto-based illustrator Adrian Hayles discovered the expressive nature of the visual arts. With his continued artistic development, illustration became his deepest passion. His desire to learn and absorb from his surroundings led him on a personal creative journey. As a graduate of the Graphic Design program at Humber College with over ten years of working experience behind him, Hayles has established his place in Toronto’s modern art community.

His style is provocative, inspiring and defies categorization. Blurring the lines between graffiti and ultra-realism, his voice and vision is instantly identifiable. His works include countless portraits and illustrations for various magazines and collaborations with the City of Toronto to develop murals for vacant community spaces. In the past, he has painted complete buildings and city blocks, designed award-winning video games and animated television shows.

Fun facts

  • The initiative came along with a new engagement process to deter graffiti and embellish the neighbourhood. When city officials asked the people of Yonge what they would like to see in the area, people mentioned the need for more public art. During the co-creation sessions with the cities, two main themes were suggested, the music scene of Yonge or the reflection of nature. In the end, the power of music won.