We are thrilled to have unveiled four new museum murals over the Doors Open Toronto 2023 weekend! Each of the four colourful art pieces illustrates Toronto’s railway connections and were designed by local artist Tori Berends. Hear more from Tori about her artistic process in an upcoming TRM blog post – stay tuned!
About the Murals
Get up close to the new art in Roundhouse Park during your next museum visit. Each of the four designs tie into Toronto’s railway heritage, both past and present. Located on the concrete vestibules in Roundhouse Park, find the murals at the Toronto Railway Museum. Don’t forget to tag us in your photos @TORailwayMuseum, or see them while enjoying a scenic Mini Train ride.
Introducing Four New Murals
A Journey of Tableaux
The railway plays a pivotal role in how we connect to one another, and how we see our city. Through landmark cultural changes, great moments of citywide celebration, and the many people who get lost in thought, gazing out at the landscape that passes by. This mural expresses the connection the railway has formed between ourselves, our city, and the countless shared experiences among friends and strangers alike. Every Torontonian has their unique story to share. What’s yours?
Our City. Our Home.
The city of Toronto and the railway have always lived side by side, growing and evolving together. As neighbourhoods flourished and welcomed new people and cultures, trains expanded their lines too. This mural celebrates this great partnership that allows all of us to explore our city, enjoying vibrant sights, sounds and music coming from every corner. From the friendly chatter on café patios on the Danforth to the rock and roll flowing into the night air from The Horseshoe Tavern, we are proud to call Toronto our home.
Past Looks To Present, Present Gazes Ahead
Since the first passenger train left the station in 1853, there have been countless journeys across the city of Toronto. Train travel has long been an opportunity for quiet reflection, allowing the click-clack of the locomotive to provide a meditative state of mind. This mural acknowledges our link to the past, reminding ourselves how similar our hopes and dreams are no matter how much time passes. Our city may look bigger and brighter but our sense of wonder and curiosity about the future sparked by the beauty peering through our passenger window will always remain.
Phantom Journey
The history of the railway has passed down many tales of dispatchers alone in the dead of night being visited by ghost trains with lost souls, doomed to ride the rails for eternity. Many stories begin with a pitch-black sky giving way to a glint of blue light that grows larger.
The brakeman stares frozen in fear as he watches a phantom crew and passengers wave and smile, passing by in a 10-car ghost train. Where did they come from and where are they going? It came without warning and disappeared without a trace. Some say it’s just a legend, but others say if you’re out on the mainline on the next full moon at 4:17am you just might be visited by the Westbound train to Union Station trying to find its way home.
About the Artist
Tori Berends is a Canadian interdisciplinary artist and designer who creates vibrant, playful works that blend traditional painting methodology with digital mediums. With a proclivity for storytelling and a love of colour, her pieces are fun, impulsive, and energetic. Her work enlivens any wall or screen.
Special Thanks
A special thank you to SimplyTold, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the City of Toronto, and all the TRM volunteers that contributed to making this happen with their time and financial contributions.
Hidden Gem
Don’t forget the fifth mural at the Toronto Railway Museum! David Oram’s A John St. Morning was added to the park in 2009. We spoke with the artist on the blog; read the full interview here.
