Good clean art on the wall - nods to Caribbean stars
by Stephen Weir - January 10, Caribbean Camera
Dwight Drummond,
Patricia Jaggernauth, Drake, Master T and a wall full of other familiar faces,
have been seen in a Keele Street laundromat.
Why, even a female model from Caribana is hanging out there, in all her
Mas costume glory!
Rob De Luca, a
well-known Toronto rock ‘n’roller, artist and of late, a co-owner of the Monte
Carlo Laundromat is working on a huge mural that he says “captures life in the
6”.
“I'm the lead singer of a hard rock band named
Rustik,” explained Rob De Luca.
“We own the Monte Carlo. Nine months ago I
decided to challenge myself to create something special. Toronto through my
eyes.”
“Something devastation and unfortunate happened in my
personal life and I needed something to make me forget about my pain. My
therapy is this mural,” he continued.
One usually doesn’t go to a coin operated laundry to
see funky Canadian art. But, at the
Monte Carlo on Keele Street (south of Lawrence) the wildly colourful images of
buildings, Toronto stars and events, light up the inside of the place. The mural runs overtop of a wall of dryers,
snakes around the soap dispenser and frames the money change machine.
“I'm currently on my third stage of my mural. When
done, it will be over 80 feet long. So far it's taken me 490 hours,” says the
artist.
The artwork is so massive almost anyone whois anyone,
living or dead, has made it on the wall, from Rob Ford to the late Honest
Ed. The number of people from the
Caribbean community depicted in the artpiece is over 20, and rising, as the
mural continues to grow.
“ I am not Caribbean. I am, in fact Italian,” said
Deluca. “My good friend (and
inspiration) is Pam Houston from the Ontario Black History Society here in
Toronto.”
 |
| CBC Dwight Drummond over the change machine |
“Caribana is major part of the 6. Some other Caribbean
Canadians on my wall include the Weeknd, Maestro, k-os, Donavan Bailey, Master T,
Lennox Lewis, Boxer/radio host Spider Jones, Much Music’s Michael Williams, Cabbie,
Wrestler Sweet Daddy Siki, Ricky Johnson, and the lovely Patricia Jaggernauth
(CP-24’s on-air weather expert). Other notable Caribbean mentions on my wall include
the play Da Kink in My Hair, Rap City, and Soul in the City.”
The artist pointed out that are also a large number of
African athletes who have moved to Toronto are now immortalized on his wall.
People waiting for their clothes to dry are already having fun finding the
sports stars including Kyle Lowry, Marcus Stroman, Joe Carter, Vince Carter and
Chris Bosh.
 |
| Weather expert cp24 presenter Patricia Jaggernauth top left |
While laundry is the big reason that people go to the
Monte Carlo, a story on the CBC has sparked the underground interest of art
lovers too. Spider Jones has already
come by and signed the mural. Both the mayor and his rival Doug Ford have taken
the tour and CBC announcer Dwight Drummond has said he would drop by with his
kids.
 |
| Caribana Mas on the wall! |
You don’t have to drive to the west-end of Toronto to enjoy the art. There is a Facebook page dedicated to the art The laundry masterpiece will be finished in time for a March 10th private rock and roll launch.(https://www.facebook.com/montecarlolaundromat/).
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