Animalitoland Addresses Emotional Health Through Street Art
Animalitoland ‘Presence’, 7 W.7th Ave (viewable from Ontario St). Photo credit: Gabriel Martins
Street art is so much more than paint on walls. It has a unique way of connecting people. Now, more than ever – individually and collectively – we all need a sense of connection on a personal, community and global level.
This year, the global pandemic highlighted an already neglected issue in our society: Mental Health. Forced into lockdown, each of us faced our own unique challenges. The rollercoaster of emotions swirling inside our heads was further magnified by uncertainty and physical isolation. Up and down. Alone but together. Ironically, in a time marked by social distancing, our interconnectedness became clearer than ever.
Welcome to Animalitoland, the spiritual-visual universe of Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva, where feelings are connected and brought to life through expressive characters and a strong presence of light and color.
“Painting in the street connects me with all kinds of strangers around the world. I learned that sensitivity is a universal language, and imagination, a sparkle against social numbness. We all have these tools, but don’t train them everyday. I insist we do. So I leave reminders in the city, creating free space for your mind amidst the advertising and grey walls.”
Originally from Buenos Aires, Graciela spent 6 years in Madrid before moving to Vancouver in 2019. The grey Pacific Northwest fall/winter followed by lockdown and social distancing were far from a warm welcome for the dynamic Argentinean accustomed to vibrant, social cultures. As darkness ensued – through the seasons and in her head – Graciela took the opportunity to search deeper and explore what was going on inside her mind. Over countless dark months, the internal battle continued until she found a renewed language and inspiration that shaped her art.
Fast forward to spring 2020. First, painting in April as part of VMF’s #MakeArtWhileApart murals on boarded-up storefronts, Graciela was one of 60 artists bringing joy back to the deserted streets of Vancouver with a painted message from her heart. Next, she was invited to participate in this summer’s Vancouver Mural Festival. This time, her canvas was a 3000 square foot wall – the largest in this year’s festival. Not a problem for this street artist with 50 murals around the world under her belt. However, she didn’t take the responsibility lightly.
Graciela observes, “Intervening public space in 2020, seemed like a good time to talk about emotional health. My piece invites us to find balance in between the turmoil of emotions, exploring inside our minds to recognize what is happening.”
What words beyond “good” or “bad” do you know, to describe how you feel?
Emotions cycle in and out of us. Whether negative or positive, it’s easy to get swept away by them. Ignoring uncomfortable feelings won’t make them disappear. I painted them in this small ball of darkness and embraced it. This loving gesture is guided by a cloud of light floating above the head, with two rainbows acting as ears, listening carefully to what emotions tell us. Framing the scene, a big rainbow in the front, and a dark shape in the back symbolizes this same positive/negative duality, but from circumstances beyond our reach. Uncertainty will always keep on flowing. And yet, the face of the main character says it’s ok.
Taking this one step further, Graciela invited the community – in-person and via Instagram – to share their emotions and experiences. Identifying words to describe how we feel is the first step to understanding, processing and dealing with those emotions.
During her 2 weeks of painting, I was fortunate to experience firsthand the impact of street art on a deeper level. It was heartwarming to see the connection from people passing by – from bikers cheering as they rode by to pedestrians drawn in for closer conversations (Graciela always took time to interact and genuinely listen). It was magical to see the outpouring of love and rare openness of Vancouverites sharing their emotions with a stranger… who felt like a friend. On the final day, the spectrum of emotions/words (over 100 collected in person and online - locally and globally) were added subtly to the wall to frame the piece and remind us that we’re not alone in how we feel.
Titled Presence, this piece invites us to find balance amidst the chaos of emotions in our minds. The mural contains all the words people shared – a collaborative exercise of emotional health, and a portrait of 2020.
At 4 storeys tall x nearly 100 feet wide, the wall’s sheer size amplifies the message but the universal human experience is what makes it stand out. When people pass by, they may initially be struck by the 4-storey mural’s bright colours but upon closer inspection, they can see so much more: a deeper reflection of themselves, the community and our world.
At a time when we feel so disconnected, this mural highlights our personal yet universal experience.
That’s the power of street art. As we enter the darker months, I hope this mural will be a tangible reminder that despite uncertainty, everything will be ok.
Public space provides the fundamental building blocks for our society’s health. Street art, with its accessibility and ability to transform urban space, plays an important role in this. Thank you Graciela for sharing your warmth with Vancouver and the world.
This mural was generously supported by Low Tide Properties
Learn more about the artist and project at animalitoland.com | @animalitoland
Find this mural and more with the VMF Mobile App
Art by Animalitoland
Photos by Gabriel Martins
Words by Lisa Wong
(Lisa is Director of Marketing for VMF. As an avid fan of art, music and travel, her inspiration lies in creating connections and smiles through art)
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. Learn more here.
Other pandemic-inspired murals by 2020 VMF artists:
VMF #MakeArtWhileApart COVID hoarding mural project featuring 60+ murals from spring 2020: https://vanmuralfest.ca/makeartwhileapart
