Twenty-four students took part in a street art mural project in December at Dawson. Their work has added colour, beauty and a youthful feel to the 2C hallway, which houses the student clubs.

This art project was fully funded by Equitas, a nongovernmental organization based in Montreal that works to advance human rights in Canada and around the world. The project was overseen by MU Mtl, which has a mission to beautify the city of Montreal by creating murals.

“The focus was on human rights and accessibility,” said Trudy Ste. Croix of Dawson’s Campus Life team. “There were two brainstorming sessions where students were invited to share their thoughts on what Human Rights means in general as well as here at Dawson.  They proposed ideas for a theme and design.  Julien Sicre, the MU Mtl artist, took their feedback and came up with the design, which was proposed to Equitas and to the students.”

Second-year Law, Society and Justice student Kiera Robak, who uses art to explore concepts and express emotions, was involved from the beginning. “Collectively, we decided that Dawson’s strongest point in the human rights field is pathways of accessibility and inclusion,” Kiera said.

“We each drew mock-ups of potential ideas, and the MU team created the version that’s painted on the wall after consulting with all the students. I was also involved with the painting of the mural, a unique experience that I never thought I would get to experience at Dawson.”

Studio Arts student Wren Nehme appreciated the experience: “I really enjoyed the influence everyone involved had on the mural. Everyone who participated has a part of the mural that is theirs! Collaborative art making was fun, everyone was super cool and nice to work with! I would definitely participate in something like this again if the opportunity presented itself!”

Artist at heart and Pure & Applied student Maëlle Sévigny loves seeing her work on the wall at her CEGEP: “Witnessing the completed artwork for the first time was amazing. Our efforts in this project brought me a sensation of joy and I believe that its design with the keys and the ribbons couldn’t have been better. The vibrant colours of the mural have added a positive aura to Dawson, and it’s awesome to hear my friends appreciate the visual impact it has brought to our environment.”

Bianca Robak, a student in the Business Administration program, is grateful to have participated.: “Thank you to everyone who organized this mural. It was very thoughtful and a great way to bring the students closer together. This mural creates a sense of community, which is shown in the art but also throughout the process of creating it.”

This was MU Mtl’s first time working with college level students and Equitas’ first time collaborating with Dawson College. “They said they really enjoyed their experience at Dawson,” Trudy said.