UNESCO CITY OF MUSIC MURAL

On March 29, 2023, the City of London, London Arts Council and RBC Place London celebrated the unveiling of the newly installed London UNESCO City of Music Mural located in the lobby of RBC Place London.

The mural was created by local artist Tova Hasiwar through the City of London’s Public Art and Monument Program in partnership with the London Arts Council and RBC Place London. As a UNESCO City of Music, London is a distinguished and unique hub for creativity, which is signified through the bold and bright design of this piece.

About Tova Hasiwar

Tova Hasiwar is a multidisciplinary artist based out of London, Ontario. Hasiwar is known for her distinctive work style that is graphic and concise in nature, paying homage to pop art using bold clean lines and vivid colours while challenging the conventional approach to design. Google, Nike, Alibi Entertainment, Huron County, TIFF, Pride Toronto, Nuit Blanche and MST Industries are just some of the companies and organizations Hasiwar has worked with in the past. 

Public Art and Monument Program

The City of London’s Public Art and Monument Program facilitates the creation of public art in London, which bolsters civic pride, provides focal points for community celebration, creates meaningful employment for artists and attracts tourism and investment.

UNESCO City of Music Designation

On November 8, 2021, the City of London was recognized as Canada’s first UNESCO City of Music, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). UCCN strives to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. To learn more about this designation, please visit https://www.londoncityofmusic.ca.

From left to right, Cheryl Smith, Deputy City Manager of Neighbourhood and Community-Wide Services at the City of London; Mayor Josh Morgan; local artist Tova Hasiwar; Janet Loo, Board of Directors’ Vice President at the London Arts Council; and Jennifer Diplock, Board of Directors’ Chair at RBC Place London celebrate the unveiling of the new mural.

THE GALLERY: A PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE LOCAL ARTISTS

In response to demand from local artists for exhibition space and to promote and celebrate our talented local artists, the London Arts Council and the City of London Culture Services have collaborated with RBC Place London to pilot The Gallery program at RBC Place London as part of our London Arts Live (LAL) program offerings.

The purpose of The Gallery is to promote the work of artists and creators residing in London and surrounding First Nations to display original artworks for exhibition, with sales opportunities, on highly prominent and specially designated wall space within this municipally owned building.

Our current exhibition Maehwa (매화), Plum Blossom featured artworks created by Byungjin Choi, a local visual artist, artist educator, and LAL artist. Choi is a highly experienced Korean visual artist who specializes in various forms of traditional Korean painting.

Maehwa (매화), Plum Blossom by Byungjin Choi is now on exhibition until February 2024. 

Read our interview with Byungjin, and learn about The Gallery here:
https://www.londonarts.ca/post/the-gallery-meet-byungjin-choi-the-artist-behind-the-maehwa-%EB%A7%A4%ED%99%94-plum-blossom-exhibition

Visit the Gallery

The Gallery at RBC Place London is open for public viewing most Thursdays* from 11am-2pm, or during any public event. 

*We recommend calling our front desk at 519-661-6200 or emailing info@rbcplacelondon.com to confirm the Gallery is open before your visit.  

Past Featured Artists:

For the first exhibition of the pilot stage, The Gallery featured artworks created by Tricia Edgar, a well-known local visual artist, artist educator, and a long-standing LAL artist. Learn More: https://www.londonarts.ca/post/the-gallery-meet-tricia-edgar-the-artist-behind-thetree-energy-exhibition 

MASTERPIECE LONDON

Featuring five critically-acclaimed muralists from London and across Ontario and Canada, Masterpiece London enriched the outdoor urban space on the north side of RBC Place London. In 2018, the space under the skyway bridge on RBC Place London's newly-renovated King Street Patio, was transformed into a lively community space that featured live music, food trucks, family programming, a night market of 25 vendors, and the unveiling of five new murals painted on the skyway.

View the photo gallery below to see the finished murals and images from the event. 
Featuring: