Description

Screen print made using a monochromatic CMYK process. The image was built up from four main layers, followed by several hand-drawn shadows and darkened areas to bring out more detail and depth in the print. The composition takes the shape of a diamond, floating slightly off balance.

The image itself is a collage made from photographs I took on my walks around downtown Toronto. Each building in the piece actually exists, but they come from different periods, serve different purposes, and are made with different materials, revealing the layered nature of the city’s architecture. By using a monochromatic scheme, I wanted to balance these contrasting structures, flattening their differences to create a new, imagined space.

The diamond-like shape of the composition reflects a mixture of glass towers, luxury condos, landmark institutions like the ROM, and older housing blocks, floating as if in a jewelry ad. I was interested in that contradiction: these are heavy structures, made of concrete, steel, and glass, yet here they are suspended, weightless. Together, they construct a version of the city that’s meant to impress, polished and elevated, even if that version doesn’t fully reflect the reality.