MUN beautification: St. John’s campus launches legal street art wall

Photo Credit: Jenna Reid
Photo Credit: Jenna Reid

The first of its kind at a Canadian university.

This past weekend, Memorial University launched a legal street art wall (Saturday, May 27th, 2022). 

The brick wall- now covered in lots of colours, is between Macpherson College and the Childcare Centre on St. John’s Campus. 

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Photo Credit: Jenna Reid

Apart of MUNL’s Beautification Committee, Memorial highlights two aspects of the initiative:

  • An outlet for artistic freedom

 The wall is open to all artists of all skill levels who wish to use it. The wall is self-regulated, and community managed. Previous designs may be painted over by other users- in a respectful manner. 

  • An artist will be commissioned to create an original mural on the wall twice a year.

Memorial University Gazette states: “an artist will be commissioned to create a mural on the wall. Artist proposals will consider the historical significance of Memorial, the St. John’s campus community and its contemporary and emerging contexts”.

The first to create a mural was street artist Jordan Burton. 

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Jordan Burton’s Art. Photo Credit: Jenna Reid

Grenfell Art Gallery, Western Newfoundland & Memorial University’s public art gallery, attended to support the event. 

Benjamin Moore Paint Shop provides all paint.