This year, two catching afro-futuristic murals adorn Teraanga Commons to honour its renaming from Residence Commons.
Jimmy Baptiste, a local graffiti artist commissioned to paint the murals, said most of his projects are related to his own identity — Blackness. Growing up with low representation as a Black artist, Baptiste said he hopes to empower Black communities and viewers to be forward-thinking.
“Idealism, often in Black aesthetics, is reflected upon racialized history and also its colonized history,” Baptiste said. “For me, [the murals] represent afro-futurism. This is a style that I really love painting.”
Baptiste was commissioned to craft the murals after his recent project at the National Arts Centre caught the attention of Mastoor Al-Kaboody, an instructor and PhD candidate at Carleton.
Al-Kaboody recommended Baptiste for the project after consulting with residence students and the Carleton University Art Gallery (CUAG) staff.
“Both staff and students in residence frequently voiced their profound appreciation of Jimmy’s work,” Al-Kaboody said. “It didn’t take long to say, ‘Hey, [Baptiste] is the right person for this project.’”
Al-Kaboody said he loved the murals after seeing Baptiste’s initial draft in black-and-white designs.
“All of us were so excited. I remember responding to Jimmy within 10 minutes that everyone said they really loved it,” Al-Kaboody said. “His art is just heartwarming.”
Located at the entrance of Teraanga Commons, the first mural’s combination of reds on the left and blues on the right creates an explosive visual experience of awe for viewers. Baptiste conveys surrealist art with a touch of realism using elements of the natural world, ranging from blossoming flowers to farm animals.
Baptiste said he believes the style choice brings out the futuristic elements and forward-thinking attitude he wants to convey.
The second mural celebrates the new name for the building, “Teraanga,” a Senegalese word from the Wolof language that relates to warmth. Designed to stand out in bright blue, the word “Teraanga” exudes a cozy dynamic.
“Teraanga promotes a culture where differences are blurred, and everyone, irrespective of nationality, religion or class, feels safe and welcome,” Laura Storey, director of housing and residence life services, wrote in an email to the Charlatan.
According to Carleton’s New Names for New Times Initiative, more than 40 per cent of Carleton students come from culturally diverse communities. To recognize the university’s multicultural student body, three campus buildings were renamed in late 2022.
Fiona Wright, academic and public programs specialist at CUAG, said Teraanga’s essence is centred around warmth, generosity and openness. Wright was part of CUAG’s consultation team during the creation process of the mural.
“I’m really happy that we got to work with Jimmy and I think [the murals] make a great addition to the building,” Wright said. “It’s really welcoming, especially because they were installed right before the move-in weekend. It was a good impression for new students.”
Baptiste said he enjoyed the creative freedom and flexibility Carleton granted him in the creation of the murals.
“To be able to have that much creative liberty is a privilege that you don’t often get when you do projects,” Baptiste said. “For this project, I really appreciate the confidence and flexibility that the university gave me. It is something that I wish I could get more often.”
Featured image by Owen Spillios-Hunter/the Charlatan.
