Que Rock (Artist)
Co-Moderated by Juan Du, Dean and Professor and Carolyn Taylor (StreetARToronto)

Join artist Que Rock for a discussion on his work, process, influences and mural at the Daniels Faculty and a Q&A with Carolyn Taylor, Project Manager at StreetARToronto at the City of Toronto. 

Que Rock is an artist from Nipissing First Nation. He started life learning teachings ceremonies through visual healing art forms. Painting, dancing, leatherwork and story telling were taught through traditional Anishnaabe and Odawa ways. His mentors encouraged him to be creative and to not let anything go to waste. As a graffiti artist, Que Rock’s work has matured from quick pieces into large street art projects and canvas work. Using Anishnaabe teachings and different methods, he focuses on unique painting styles and techniques to create smooth transitions of colour, blending abstract form with realism and expressionism.

Graphic by Mariah Meawasige (@Makoose)

Que Rock takes interactions from daily life, the city and Anishnaabe culture. His love of nature and animals is prominent in his work because of its deep meaning and connection to life. Que Rock calls his style “Making the woodlands dance”, and his goal is to portray ancestral teachings, sacred geometry and Laws of Nature in all my art forms. Que Rock’s art has allowed him to work closely with art directors, city officials and corporate clients to make their visions come to life. He enjoys working with people and has collaborated with many artists on projects of all scales from graphic books to videos to murals around the world.

Carolyn Taylor is a Project Manager with the City of Toronto, StreetARToronto (StART) initiative, a suite of innovative city building programs intentionally designed to showcase, celebrate and support street, mural and graffiti artists and art throughout Toronto. StART programs and projects are rooted in a set of values that demonstrate the positive and powerful impacts of diversity and inclusion, foster community engagement and civic pride, add colour and vitality to neighbourhoods, encourage active transportation, showcase Toronto artists and contribute to their skills development, mentor emerging talent, and create opportunities for positive engagement among residents, business owners and operators, artists and arts organizations. Carolyn is also the founding executive director of The Word on the Street book and magazine festival, and has been involved in myriad Toronto-based community-driven and global cultural initiatives.

The Daniels Mural Project

The overall design is in honour of the 215 children found in the residential school in Kamloops, B.C. The Sun on the left side represents the 7 grandfather teachings and on the right side is Grandmother moon. She represents the connection to Turtle Island, the water nation, and Mother Earth. The children are being carried by eagles to the spirit world. The fish is for the healing journey of my people. 

Read the full announcement: 09.30.21 – Anishnaabe artist Que Rock honours residential school children for U of T’s Daniels Mural Project

Generously supported by:

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto 
PEFAL (Post-secondary Education Fund for Aboriginal Learners) 
StreetARToronto, City of Toronto, Transportation Services