Exploring the impact of local and community-centred art in eleven BMO interior and exterior public art activations
From facade to interior, how do we create public art experiences in our everyday commercial spaces? By integrating art with the pre-existing architecture and interior design, we can create site-specific public art installations that complement the spaces we pass through every day. From Vancouver to Halifax (and cities in between), the BMO National Mural Series combines public art and interior design to transform the everyday experience of a bank visit through art.
Community Connections by Sarah Taniwa at the BMO Brooklin branch in Whitby, Ontario
Photo Credit: Anushay Sheikh
This feature is part of Fieldnotes, a public art blog series by STEPS that promotes inclusive and innovative public art through interviews, storytelling, case studies, and knowledge sharing.
Since 2021, BMO has commissioned STEPS Public Art to vitalize the exterior and/or interior of new BMO branches with public art installations, ranging from abstract 3D sculptural work to community-inspired murals. With STEPS’ expertise in public art management, customized approaches, and connections to local artists, the BMO National Mural Series brings the unique character of the community into BMO branches, animating lobbies and branch spaces for visitors and employees alike.
“BMO is proud to serve communities through our retail branch network. Partnering with local community-based artists to reinvigorate these spaces is a natural extension of that relationship,” says Joanne Prokop, Director of Branch Change & Performance at BMO. “For BMO and our customers, these murals are a tribute to diversity and the uniqueness of each community we are part of—coast to coast.”
Beyond celebrating local diversity, the BMO National Mural Series also represents BMO’s contributions to the arts and culture ecosystem, sharing these pieces with a wider audience and providing a platform for artistic development. Joanne adds, “By providing both emerging and established artists with canvases to showcase their work, BMO is able to leverage our branch spaces to create artist opportunities and invest in community art.”
To this day (and with over 60 BMO branches transformed), the BMO National Mural Series is a testament to the potential of arts investment.
Together We Will Grow and On Our Way to Bloom by Gosia Komorski
Yonge and Roselawn (Toronto, Ontario)
Video Credit: Selina McCallum
Inaugurating the BMO National Mural Series in 2021, the animation of the Yonge and Roselawn BMO branch brought flora and familiar faces to the Yonge and Eglinton community. Designed with community engagement involving over 200 local residents, Together We Will Grow is a 3,500-square-foot exterior mural awash with flowers and local portraits, representing people deeply connected to the area.
Polish Canadian artist Gosia Komorski sought to express shared values of heritage, diversity and inclusion, and family-friendliness, drawn from the feedback of Yonge and Eglinton community members. The project is a testament to community-based and artistic collaboration, providing employment opportunities for seven artist assistants.
Photo Credit: Mila Bright Zlatanovic
Alongside the expansive exterior mural, the project also includes two components of interior art. Entering the branch, visitors will encounter a 200-square-foot interior mural (On Our Way To Bloom), while further inside the branch, a lightbox displays Gosia’s watercolour painting of a bud blooming into a sunflower.
Summer on the River by Roberta Murray
Carleton Ave (Red Deer, Alberta)
Photo Credit: Eunice Hau
Portraying the idyllic scenery of summertime along the Red Deer River, Roberta Murray’s Summer On The River is a celebration of the natural world you can find within the city. Swooping pelicans can be spotted along the river, and a fox makes the city its home.
Equilibrium by Carolyn Wong
West 40th and Cambie (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Photo Credit: Thomas Jose
In Carolyn Wong’s hand-painted interior mural Equilibrium, fluid elements of the natural world create an intricate and harmonious balance. Exploring themes of sustainability and cycles of the natural world, Equilibrium is a reflection of the cyclical nature of life, depicted through vital natural elements: “the Sun (central flower), Air (clouds), the Land (mountains on the left and right) and Water (rivers on the edges).”
“Sustainability is represented by balance over the passage of time.”
As a Chinese Canadian artist, Carolyn’s work is a hybrid of both eastern and western influences, resonating with the concerns of diasporic communities. The circling fish of Equilibrium resemble the ornamental carp, a common motif in Chinese and Japanese painting.
The Nature of Geometry by Bruno Hernani
Southland Mall (Regina, Saskatchewan)
Photo Credit: Michael Bell
For a one-of-a-kind perspective on nature’s beauty, look up at this interior mural. Taking advantage of the ceiling skylight, art and architecture are deftly integrated in Bruno Hernani’s The Nature of Geometry. The printed vinyl mural conveys the harmonious coexistence of symmetry and asymmetry, and the geometric beauty of our natural world.
Bruno Hernani is a Peruvian-born artist with an engineering background, bringing together passions for geometry and environmentalism in his practice. From the vanishing points of linear perspective to golden ratio spirals, this mural’s natural landscapes are brought to life with mathematical precision.
Tessellated Labyrinth by LeuWebb Projects
The Well (Toronto, Ontario)
Photo Credit: Mila Bright Zlatanovic
Light and reflection bring geometry to life in Tessellated Labyrinth, a sculptural installation by LeuWebb Projects. Located in The Well, a mixed-use shopping and residential complex in the heart of Downtown Toronto, Tessellated Labyrinth is one of the few sculptural installations in the BMO National Mural Series, layering vivid translucent panels into a vivid interplay of light, depth, and colour.
Layering translucence and light for shifting and dynamic hues, the dazzling sculpture is an instant draw to passing visitors at The Well. Enfolding two planes of the entrance walls, Tessellated Labyrinth is seamlessly integrated into the interior architecture of The Well. This consideration of architectural form fittingly echoes the intersections of art and design explored by artists and architects Christine Leu and Alan Webb.
Binesi Madigaang – Thunderbird’s Tipi by Jordan Quequish
County Fair Plaza (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
Video Credit: Damien Bouchard
Binesi Madigaang – Thunderbird’s Tipi by Jordan Quequish (an Anishinaabe artist from Weagmow First Nation) draws from Indigenous stories and knowledge relating to the land. The interior mural is an engaging piece of visual storytelling, depicting the Thunderbird, a sacred spirit, looking over “the land, the waters and the people that live here today.”
“The canoe and the tipi represent the gifts that were given to the Anishinaabek and the beautiful medicines that we still walk with today: plants, language, and our way of life.”
Family Group by Alice Jennex
Mumford Rd (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Photo Credit: Aly Ambler
In this soothing interior mural, the lush landscape of coastal Nova Scotia fills the silhouettes of a young family. Digitally transferring her specialty of landscape watercolour into printed vinyl, Alice Jennex brings to life the connections between family, community, and the natural environment. The mural’s subtle watercolour gradations provide a calming and beautiful sight for the contemplation of visitors.
The Winsome Capital and Gentle Waters by Connie Wheaton
Main Branch (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
Photo Credit: Kelly Baker
Oftentimes, public art is a reminder of the beauty that already surrounds us. Celebrating the intricate historical architecture and the enchanting seaside views of Fredericton, Connie Wheaton’s pair of interior murals pay tribute to the human-made and natural beauty of the Maritimes.
In The Winsome Capital, the familiar sight of Fredericton’s cityscape greets visitors at the entranceway of the branch, celebrating the provincial capital’s carefully preserved historical buildings and the culture and heritage that runs through its streets. Deeper into the branch, Gentle Waters is a mural of the Wolastoq River, also known as the Saint John River, an iconic natural feature of Fredericton.
La vie du Plateau by Whatisadam
Parc and Laurier (Montreal, Quebec)
Photo Credit: Nicolas Abou
Wrapping around the walls of the Parc and Laurier lobby, La vie du plateau is a lively interior mural in Whatisadam’s signature pop art and vintage comic book-inspired aesthetic. La vie du Plateau invites visitors into a cozy apartment in the Plateau neighbourhood, a major cultural centre of Montreal, and home to many musicians, artists, and arts organizations. To create an environment reflective of the neighbourhood, the artist incorporated elements familiar to residents of the Plateau, including an open window with a view of Mount Royal. For Whatisadam, the mural was also an opportunity to experience a new process of artistic production. Filled with vibrant hues, inspirational quotes, and nostalgic objects, this effervescent mural brings comfort and colour into an everyday space.
“I usually paint all my murals in person, but in this case, I designed it remotely and it was installed as a wallpaper, which was a first for me.”
Future Families by Jeff Kulak
Main and 28th (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Photo Credit: Thomas Jose
From dioramas to an interior mural, Jeff Kulak’s project Future Families is a celebration of time spent in harmony with nature, with loved ones by your side. Animating the interior of the branch is a large-scale photo mural depicting families enjoying a seaside sunset.
The Main & 28th branch is also home to four mixed-media dioramas found in window boxes along the branch’s exterior, depicting figures enjoying different times and environments of Vancouver. These playful 3D dioramas remind passersby of their nostalgic memories of the natural world of the Pacific Northwest.
Beyond the Horizon by Mo Thunder
Westford Centre (Scarborough, Ontario)
Photo Credit: Mila Bright Zlatanovic
Hand-painted by Mo Thunder with assistance from Gabby Ondrade, Beyond the Horizon is a 226-square-foot interior mural depicting two figures blowing rainbow dandelion seeds into the wind. Mo Thunder is a nonbinary/fluid, neurodivergent artist of Haudenosaunee, French-Canadian, and Anishinaabe background, and their artistic practice often engages with themes of personal healing, intergenerational connections, and collective empowerment. In Beyond the Horizon, this attention to human connection is reflected in the scattering of rainbow seeds, growing new possibilities of community.
Water infinitely holds us through everything
Young folks release deep breaths of life into a new era
Rainbow seeds take flight in all directions as empty fields wait to accept their hopes, dreams and wishes
This new growth will connect and unite communities here and beyond the horizon
– Mo Thunder, Artist Statement
Enriching Arts and Cultural Experiences Across Canada
“Whether they are customers waiting for an appointment, completing transactions, or our branch team members working to help our customers make real financial progress, these murals are a feature piece for everyone in the branch and create a welcoming and inviting experience.”
Which of your everyday commercial spaces are waiting for vitalization through public art? With 60+ installations animating bank branches, the BMO National Mural Series has transformed the visitor and employee experience of the bank visit through celebrations of family, community connection, and local talent. Engaging artists from across the country, this series demonstrates the importance of community building and contributes to Canada’s thriving arts and cultural landscape.
Want to find out more? With over 60 art activations to choose from, check out if your local BMO branch is a part of the BMO National Mural Series.
About the Writer
Wenying Wu (she/her) is a student of English and Chinese literature beginning her MA in Comparative Literature at the University of Toronto in September of 2024. Her research interests include science fiction, body horror, and the representation of dreams. Wenying was the Cultural Content Writer at STEPS during the 2024 summer season.
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