The creative duo known as Clandestinos continue to transform downtown Barrie with their wildly colourful graffiti murals.
Finding Light graces a wall at 48 Mary St., at the intersection with Dunlop Street West.
The new mural by Clandestinos, the pair known as Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky, included participation and art mentorship with local youth.
“(This latest) project has been created with the purpose to empower local youth through artistic expression,” they told BarrieToday in an email from Miami, where they are working on a project.
“Through a series of hands-on artistic workshops and idea consultations, the final image was inspired by the participation of diverse youth from Barrie, including Youth Haven, the Barrie Native Friendship Centre and independent youth. By creating public art together with local youth, we hope to elevate our communities and bring a sense of cultural and artistic belonging to our cityscapes."
The two artists first met in Rio de Janeiro in 2010 and began creating together almost immediately.
They’ve brightened cities worldwide with their bold, colourful style and, after living in Sao Paulo, Montreal and Toronto, they decided to move to Barrie to raise their daughter, Violeta.
The family has been living in Barrie for five years, and painting in the area for the past two.
Smoky recently picked up the Excellence in the Arts Award at the the Barrie Arts Awards, which were held on Nov. 12 at the MacLaren Art Centre.
“All the art we’ve put out there from our heart to everyone’s hearts, too,” he told the audience as he accepted the award.
“Art for us means life, giving, creativity and community, obviously … the whole city is a gallery,” Smoky added.
Other locations in Barrie where their artwork can be found is at the Five Points intersection downtown, the Lakeshore Mews alleyway, 25 Mulcaster St. (next to the MacLaren Art Centre), 21 Bayfield St., 93 Dunlop St. E., 51 Maple Ave., and 28 Dunlop St. E.
More information and examples of their work outside of Barrie and in other parts of the world can be found on their website.
