Writing on the wall

If these graffiti-covered walls could talk, they’d have many colourful stories to tell. This fall, the AGO Youth Council continues the Neighbourhood Walk series, inviting you to take a virtual walk in the shoes of local artists and community members. On October 28, you’re invited to Neighbourhood Walk: If You Don't Know, Now You Know, led by local graffiti artist Jehiel Douglas and curated by Youth Council member Jega Delisca.

Jehiel Douglas is a Toronto-born graffiti artist living in Scarborough. On October 28, Douglas will tour Scarborough, sharing local graffiti art while offering a look into the graffiti community at large.

Neighbourhood Walk curator Jega Delisca joined us to discuss more about the event and the neighbourhood he described as, “yearning, slow, hidden”. 

Image courtesy of Jega Delisca

AGOinsider: What does  ‘neighbourhood’ mean to you?

Delisca: I'd say that my definition of neighbourhood is defined by the everyday interactions I have with the people around me. Even the people who I only see every now and then, with the little context I’m given, I can piece together snapshots of their development. Like the neighbourhood kids aging, or the new parents or even a grieving family. All these people who are close to me leave me with this sonder fondness for them. And I think we're all silently wishing the best for each other.

AGOinsider: Do you think graffiti will always be stigmatized?

Delisca: I personally think graffiti is well on its way to being destigmatized. With the efforts of Toronto Public Library and local arts organizations like Unity Charity, more legal graffiti and public art has been visible in the city. I do think there’s a strong stigma around the people who create graffiti. Graffiti can be used as a form of protest, against displacement, gentrification and racist statues, but for the most part these pieces of work tell an incredible story of a community by the people who live there.

AGOinsider: Do you think art plays an important role in building community?

Delisca: I think It will always play an important role in community building.Well, for me personally, I got into community building by attending a local art workshop at Cedarbrae Library. That one workshop led to me knowing my community on a deeper level. I think art plays a vital role in integrating communities, especially if it’s a majority immigrant community.

AGOinsider: What has being part of the Youth Council, especially during this time, offered you?

Delisca: The AGO Youth Council has offered me an opportunity to engage with ideas and problems bigger than myself.

You can catch all the Neighbourhood Walk events on the AGOYOUTH Instagram.

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