THE ART CAFE
Troydel Wallace
How long have you been creating art and murals? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I have been doing art for as long as I can remember, it was a natural calling from day one. When I started doing art as a career I began taking on commissions and participating in mural projects. Inspiration for my artwork stems from Caribbean, African, and African American culture. I also pull a lot of inspiration from Afro-Futurism and Afro-Punk movements.
Do you practice other art mediums?
I have dabbled with traditional mediums such as acrylic painting and mixed mediums. I used acrylic paint on canvas and wall murals for my first exhibition outside of college in 2012. In 2017, I had an exhibition at the Jamaican National Gallery and I played with mixed mediums merging my digital artworks with brushed aluminum works, complementing the gold metallic aesthetics in my art.
“Since I have been here in Toronto, I would say the more urban parts of downtown Toronto is the best place for inspiration, locally. On almost every corner of the streets you can find murals on the wall. I always find this so captivating to see.”
What music artists/DJs are you currently listening to?
I’ve been vibing with Black Coffee for a hot minute now. I got introduced to his beats awhile back from a friend and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Who from your city’s art scene should we look out for? Why?
I would say check out my friend/mentor, Benny Bing. His work is pretty dope and he represents the culture very well.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Where I see myself in five years is being featured in international art platforms and collaborating with big movers and shakers in the black art community, ex producers, artists, film directors, etc. I would love for my artwork to be displayed in an upcoming, ground-breaking Black movie, short film or music video. I have seen artists I know personally collaborate with producers for movies like Get Out and TV shows like Lovecraft Country. I would love to explore this possibility in the future. However, I am sure I want my artwork to go beyond that, eventually having them displayed in renowned art galleries as well.
“I started my art career at the age of sixteen. It was small projects here and there, at the time and I was unsure if this would be my career path. However, I was getting considerable attention for my talents at that age and began to realize I can create art professionally.”
“What’s special about growing up in Jamaica is the bounty of creativity that comes from our culture, it’s one of the major sources of inspiration for my artworks.”
What about your city/country, if anything, influences your style?
I would say I’m influenced by my country’s music (Dancehall and Reggae). Dancehall and Reggae artists have a unique look that is recognized internationally. One of my mentors, Marlo Scott, once said “If you want to stand out internationally always represent Yard (Jamaica)” Meaning always represent your culture or origin in your work because that is what makes an artist memorable. Inspiration for my art style also stems from the creative expressions of Black culture, whether it is music, independent fashion, etc. Anything that falls under the influence of the African Diaspora sparks my interest. I like to see this as they currently are and envision what they can be.
Tell us what your guilty pleasure is? Or something people would be shocked to know about you?
Whenever I work I have to play a movie in the background, usually a movie I’ve watched several times already. Some people think it is weird but it’s the only way I can focus. Watching a movie with lots of dialogue and plot points would be distracting to anyone but strangely I’m most creative and focused with my headphones on max listening to the movie.
