Mural art transforms Selkirk Avenue building

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This article was published 07/08/2018 (2596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new mural popped up on Selkirk Ave. on the East side of the Ndinawe Youth Resource Centre building at 472 Selkirk Ave. during the last week of July. 

The artist, who goes by the name Mr. Cenz, was flown in from his hometown of London, U.K., to showcase some of his artwork at the Graffiti Gallery at 109 Higgins Ave. as part of the gallery’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Mr. Cenz brought many of his artworks and painted an original massive piece on one of the walls in the gallery. I spoke with Graffiti Gallery artistic director Pat Lazo, who told me that Graffiti Art Programming was able to get funding for the London artist to do the mural on Selkirk Avenue as well as one at the skateboard park at The Forks honouring Jai Pereira, the late founder of Sk8 Skates.

Mr. Cenz has been making art since 1988, and his first commission came when he was just 11. He told me it would take him approximately 40 hours to do the mural on Selkirk Avenue. He started the project on July 22 and basically worked from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. for five days, basically treating it like “a regular job.” 

His tools included a wide assortment of spray cans of different colours, a hydraulic lift to reach the higher parts of the building, and one heck of an imagination.

It was pretty cool to watch him transform a red brick wall into an amazing piece of art during the week. The wall was painted sky blue the day before he started working on the mural. 

Graffiti Art Programming is also responsible for the amazing makeover of the New West Hotel building at Main Street and Sutherland Avenue as well as many other murals throughout the city. 

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I remember when I moved back to Winnipeg after spending the ’90s in Vancouver. As a lens-based (photography and video) visual artist myself, I was quite impressed with the Winnipeg art scene and in particular this huge building mural. I spent a few days documenting these murals starting on Selkirk Avenue moving onto Main, up Ellice and Sargent avenues and also in the Corydon-Osborne area. Fascinating stuff.

Behind the Lines, featuring Mr. Cenz’s artwork, will be on display until Sept. 14 at Graffiti Gallery. 109 Higgins Ave.

Doug Kretchmer is a freelance writer, artist and community correspondent for The Times. Email him at quidamphotography@gmail.com 

Twitter: @DougKretchmer

Doug Kretchmer
North End community correspondent

Doug Kretchmer is a freelance writer, artist and community correspondent for The Times. Email him at dk.fpcr.west@gmail.com

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