Crossroads
Crossroads is a community-engaged mural project led by artist Kseniya Tsoy that explores the unique cultural tapestry of Toronto’s Willowdale neighbourhood.
Project at a glance
Location: Finch TTC Station (East Yonge St. Entrance), 5639 Yonge St, North York, ON
Artist(s): Kseniya Tsoy
Photographer/Videographer: Jae Yang
Year: 2023
Services: Public Art Management
1
lead artist
3
artist assistants
2,000
sq feet of artwork
150+
community members engaged
94,400
daily visitors
Project at a glance
Crossroads is a site-specific community-engaged mural project inspired by a blend of cultural myths, legends, and folk motifs from around the world. This new vibrant mural is a 360° wrap-around artwork flowing across the walls of the standalone entrance to the busy TTC Finch Transportation Hub on Yonge Street. Led by artist Kseniya Tsoy, this project engaged members of Willowdale Community in its creation from the very early stages of the mural design through multiple opportunities, both in person and online.
“This project’s idea was born out of a deep cultural connection I have to the Willowdale Neighbourhood, which happens to house a very unique mix of cultures and languages that make up my identity. As a person of mixed heritage, I was called to express this “beauty in a mix”, which inspired me to reach out to the Willowdale community and learn how they would love to be seen and represented. As a result of two years of work with the community, this mural is a collective expression of our diverse lineages, traditions and histories shared by the participants and woven into one legacy mural.”
The artistic goal of the Crossroads mural was to explore the unique cultural tapestry of Willowdale as a meeting place of global perspectives and cultural lineages while honouring the Indigenous lands we gather on today. Community members from diverse backgrounds were invited to share their stories, traditions and ideas to co-create this legacy mural to highlight both our individual histories and the common threads that bind us.
The project posed two main questions: “What images may represent one’s cultural heritage?” and “What images could represent our unity beyond our identities?”. Elements of nature were brought up the most in the answers to both questions, which set the tone for the mural design concept. In the early design stage, this project was greatly influenced by consultation with Elder Whabagoon, who spoke about the significance of land, water, relations, and natural cycles. Even Elder’s name, which means “Flower Blooming in Spring”, echoed wishes of many participants’ from diverse backgrounds about the significance of spring as a symbol of new beginnings and hope. Thus, the theme of spring takes the central stage in this mural.
Crossroads Community Engagement
Inspired by Elder Whabagoon, Crossroads features all elements of creation and all forms of life in the water, land and air. All natural elements featured in the mural, such as flowers, plants, birds, and butterflies, were suggested by community members from diverse backgrounds and have special meaning in those respective cultures. Community conversations led to the following major themes and symbols in the mural:
- Water is the main element that flows across the surface of the wall. Water connects everything and gives life to all. It is also here to represent movement, constant change and flow
- A human/female figure represents nature, birth, and life. It also serves as the main element that ties the different themes together
- The bright yellow sun behind the woman represents a new day and a feeling of hope
- The sun and moon on either side, as well as four seasons that you can see across the walls of the mural represent the cycles of life
- The willow in the mural represents Willowdale, and also happens to be a tree of significance in many cultures that live here
- Different landscapes represent different lands of our respective ancestries
- Paper boats bring in an element of childhood, playfulness and represent our journey into our shared future together
It is important to note that most of the elements chosen for this design have special meaning in more than one culture; for example, the strawberry is a medicine plant in many Indigenous cultures also known as “heart berry”, and it is also a very dear folk motif in many Slavic cultures. Hibiscus was brought up as a flower that speaks to the Caribbean community, and it is also the national flower in Korea and Malaysia. Similarly, one can find many other cross-cultural elements in this artwork. This was deeply intentional to represent our diverse beautiful cultures at the Crossroads.
Lastly, the community as a whole expressed the wish for a positive and inspiring mural. This design was created to be an uplifting community mural that will speak to hope, abundance, togetherness and celebration of life.
Crossroads Design Contributors
A, Akosua Badu, Angela Walcott, Aquil Virani, Bronwen Zahos, Claudia Lamy, Cecilia Garcia, Celina Wang, Chahel Goswami, Claire Wang, Dane Grgas, Dante, Doudou Zhang, FL, Flora, Gina Kim, Iman Hassan, Jasmine Vanstone, Jay, Jefferey, Jieun June Kim, Jullia Urban, Kelly, Lais Siqueira, Lilly Kastelic, Manpreet, Maria J, Mark Reece, Lilia Turkova, Maryam Zaraimajin, Matti Prima, Mayurakshi Chaturvedi, Mike Herman, Monika Kastelic, Nafiseh Saadati, Nakisa Dashtnavard, Parvaneh Radmard, Pearl Sequeira, Samson & Jessica & Erin, Saori Kawagishi, Svetlana Bassauer, Shelly Chaudhary, Sienna Park, Sun, Sunghee Osin, Vicky Sanderson, Voca Moka, Wendy Lu, Yeonhee Kim, Zoe Zhao (and many others whose names may not have been recorded)
Community Mural Painting Participants
Caitl M, Elena L, Elia, Henry Kim, Lydia Hernandez, Nakisa Dashtnavard, Navneet Kaur, Rojin Firooz, Olga Pavlichenko, Yeonhee Kim, Yvonne You
Project and Community Consultation Partners
Ward 18 Councillor Lily Cheng, Former Ward 18 Councillor John Filion,Yonge North BIA, North York Arts, Neighbourlink, North York Youth Drop-In, St Stephens Newcomer Community Centre (TNG), Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Toronto Community Housing (TCHC), Willowdale Neighbours group.
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About the artists
Kseniya Tsoy
Lead Artist
Kseniya Tsoy is a community-engaged mural artist and a recipient of the Newcomer Arts Award 2021 from Toronto Arts Foundation. As a person of mixed heritage, cultural diversity has always been the inspiration behind her work. Her personal murals are dedicated to visual exploration of complex cultural identities and are inspired by folk motifs from diverse cultures that have influenced her growing up. As a community-engaged artist, she is best known for her vibrant collaborative murals where community members are engaged in all stages of the creative process.
Yasaman Mehrsa
Artist Assistant
Yasaman Mehrsa is a Toronto-based visual artist with a focus on public art. Yasaman’s work is illustrative in style with a focus on storytelling and exploring all facets of life and being human in a natural environment. Her work is often representative of awareness of the human-nature relationship.
Stephanie Babij
Artist Assistant
Stephanie Babij is an Ojibwe mixed visual artist currently based on Unceded Algonquin Territory, in Ottawa. Stephanie specializes in both community-engaged and solo murals, acrylic painting, and wood-burning. Her work focuses on our connection with the land, water, plants & animals, our ancestors, and our bodies.
Jasmine Vanstone
Artist Assistant
Jasmine Vanstone is a Jamaican-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and arts facilitator in North York who explores the themes of racism, identity, and wellness through various mediums including collage, murals, and poetry. With hopes to inspire, impact, and amplify marginalized voices through community engagement and arts education, she continues learning and pursuing opportunities that align with her passions.
Supporters
Crossroads is supported by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Ward 18 Councillor Lily Cheng, North York Arts, and Scotiabank. STEPS Public Art is grateful to be an engagement partner on an artist-led project funded by the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, and Yonge North York BIA.
