Artists create what could be Canada’s largest mural in downtown Hamilton

A group of artists have begun working towards creating what they say will be the largest mural in Canada.

The canvas is an iconic Hamilton building that is currently in development limbo.

That iconic building is Hamilton city centre on James Street and York Boulevard in the heart of the city’s downtown core.

The building was closed back in 2022 with a goal of turning it into a condo but that project was paused. With no solid timeline for that project to start back up again, the artists say the developers let them use it as a canvas.

“It’s kind of dismal looking with everything kind of shuttered… so we’re putting lipstick on a pig, but we’re just trying to make the best of a bad situation,” says Scott McDonald.

As the developers of Hamilton city centre wait for the real estate market to improve before turning it into condos, local artist Scott McDonald and dozens of other artists are giving it a facelift.

“For this weekend we have over 60 artists from around 16 different countries. They’re all kind of doing their own thing, it’s a combination of graffiti, street art, and just fine art,” McDonald says.

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Kyle Shipman and his partners came from Vancouver and their art is video game themed.

“It’s exciting and intimidating at the same time, you’re surrounded by world class talent, and it’s just an honour to be here and it’s inspirational to be honest,” Shipman says.

and steps away from Shipman’s, Shalak Attack’s piece will have a message.

“It’s gonna be kind of a spider woman with a nature girl beside her. We’re in the concrete jungle so I’m trying to remind people that we are still connected to nature in some way,” Shalak Attack says.

Around the corner, Christopher Bennett is going full realism.

“My roots is graffiti writing, so doing typical lettering but with this I wanted to do something special, something a little bit more,” Bennett says.

“You have to be of a certain stature, a quality that you bring, so to be a part of it is wonderful.”

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Before the artists could actually come out and get to work, the entire building had to be painted black.

“So it was 250 gallons, imagine about three skids of five gallon pales. So, there’s 16 on a skid, 48 pales or something like that. It’s a ton of paint,” Sherwin Williams told CHCH News.

“47-thousand square feet. me and about four other friends helped, sometimes it was just me… my arms are dying right now,” Scott McDonald says.

McDonald says the nearly 6 figure art project is all worth it and made possible by multiple donors and supporters like Sherwin Williams, Molotow Spray Paint Company and others.

“Thanks to everybody who has believed in my crazy vision and it’s happening,” McDonald says.

“When you have all these creative people working in the same space, that energy is just intoxicating, it’s awesome.”

Now there is of course a lot more work to do before this could be Canada’s largest mural. Artists will be here throughout the weekend.

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