Local artists to honour frontline workers with murals at Pickering recreation centre

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Published October 3, 2022 at 3:11 pm

A couple of local artists will be celebrating frontline workers with two murals to be installed at Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex Pickering.

Zuna Amir, who will be creating a mural for an external wall of the recreation comp-lex, is a Pakistani-Canadian multidisciplinary artist based in Durham. She graduated from OCAD University with a Bachelor of Design majoring in Illustration and is now working as a freelance artist. Her work emphasizes form, line and detail as a response to the environment around her.

Malik McKoy, who is creating a mural for inside the arena, is based in Ajax. McKoy is a recent graduate of OCAD University’s Drawing and Painting program and the Game Art and Animation program at Seneca College. McKoy’s work was featured in the 17th edition of MOMENTA in Montreal and in public screenings as part of Artworx TO with InterAccess and Toronto Animated Image Society.

Amir was on site last month to begin community engagement. She was stationed in the lobby, sharing stories with community members that will inform the resulting artwork. McKoy will connect directly with local first responders for his mural.

“The Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex served as a vaccination centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our facility serves as a warming and cooling hub and plays a key role in supporting the health and wellness of Pickering residents. It’s fitting that the murals by local artists celebrating first responders will be featured at the Complex,” said Sarah Douglas Murray, Pickering’s Director of Community Services

A celebratory event is in the works for Family Day 2023 to highlight the murals and other new creative initiatives in the City Centre area including a new public art installation “REFLECTIONS” by Studio F Minus.

Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex offers services and programs including fitness classes and aquatic programs to residents across Durham Region.